Fridays RocksteemCreated with Sketch.

in fridaysrock •  6 years ago 

Hello Steemians

This entry for fridayrocks, is a pile of rocks that make up
a lime kiln, from the early 1800's.
This is one of the larger ones I have seen.
The structure would have been filled with wood and
other rocks ( limestone) and then cooked for app 3 days,
at temperatures of 900 degrees.

DSC_0065.JPG
Using rocks to cook other rocks

The finished product (quicklime) would be shoveled out
from the bottom doorway and used to make plaster
and mortar for construction.
Farmers would also use it to lower the acidity in soil.
By mixing lime and manure the fields would stay
fertile and productive for many years.

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Very cool @karbon! Did you see my lime kiln photos in one of my walkwithmes last fall? It's amazing what is still around.

no I didn't, there are so many in disrepair, some people think they are just a pile of rocks..lol
A lot of farmers made their own and had small kilns...

I didn't realize that. The one I posted is on the side of hiking trail in the Ottawa greenbelt. It was a fairly large industrial one. Your photo is only the second one I have seen.

Really, wow, there is a lot of limestone, and easily accessed here.
Maybe that's why so plentiful..

Oh and some are real small, like 10' diameter, and 3' high.
So I'm thinking a lot of farmers made their own, instead
of buying it.

That makes sense. So where I grew up, you didn't come across limestone in the fields. It was more likely to be granite. All of the limestone came from a quarry in another city. The kiln I posted was the first I had ever seen or heard about.

Yea, I think Ottawa is mostly the shield, granite, like you said.

We have limestone here. I'm originally from Southwestern Ontario.

Maybe another reason then.

howdy sir karbon! wow very interesting, I've never heard of a lime kiln before. Is this old kiln close to where you live?

Yes, it's very close, I have seen many, walking through the woods etc.
There is a lot of limestone in the area, S Ontario, so that is probably why they are popular.
Thank for your comments, I appreciate your compliments!
The homestead that owned the kiln, also had a mill that made
flour for the British troops during the war of 1812.

ha..that is very interesting indeed sir karbon! I don't suppose the old mill is still there? That's so ancient it wouldn't survive unless it was limestone. Do you take long hikes to see wildlife to photograph or is it a fitness thing?

That's the mill, the conservation authority really takes care of
the property.

DSC_0069.JPG

Howdy today sir karbon! oh that's amazing, can you go inside of it?

Just during the Summer.
I'll go back and get some pics.