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Valentown Greetings,

The symbol of April is rain and showers. It is a time for the 
end of winter weather. The greening of tiny things lightens our 
mood. Water is one of the most precious things on the earth.
The emerging plants depend on moisture that will help them 
through the growing season to come. The wild areas of Valentown 
are no exception. Our ancestors made use of these areas as a 
source of extra nourishment and even medicine. Spring "tonics" 
were often made from medicinal plants foraged for in the woods 
and fields. Tonics were taken to give a feeling of vigor and well 
being. In hind sight not all manufactured preparations did much 
good and maybe even harm. But the tonic tradition goes back to 
before the Patent Medicine industry. Remedies from plants were 
our first pharmacy and many plant derivatives are still taken 
today either natural or from chemically made duplicates.

By this time of year most people in earlier times could be a bit 
deficient in nutrients. As soon as some plants appeared they 
would be harvested right away. One good example is watercress.? 
It is a native of Europe and Asia so it was brought here as a 
staple. It is packed with vitamins and minerals that would be 
missing in diets by the end of winter.? It could be planted 
anywhere near water and needed no care. It could be harvested 
any time even in winter. It was best eaten raw but it was also 
cooked. Today it is recommended NOT to harvest wild growing 
watercress because of the possible contamination of the water 
that it likes to grow in. Always know your plants by identity and 
source. Watercress is available to grow from seeds and from your 
local hometown grower.

Many years ago, I had an interesting encounter with an elderly 
gentleman in an antiquarian book store here in Rochester. Somehow 
we got on the subject of herbs and plants. He told me that during 
"the war" he and his group of soldiers had spent the winter in 
France and near the end of winter they were all suffering from of 
all things, scurvy. He said he remembered going out and 
harvesting watercress with his mother every spring for the tonic 
effect and recalled seeing watercress growing wild along the 
nearby streams in their location (but of course). He suggested 
they add it to their rations. It worked amazingly well.

Everyone got better. What actually got my attention in the story 
was the fact that this man was a veteran of WWI! So he had to be 
at least in his late eighties or older when we spoke. 

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/watercress-benefits

Many of the early plants including the dreaded dandelion
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTO_3aQhXSY>; were brought here 
from other countries because of their nutritional and tonic 
qualities. Most have escaped to the wild at the expense of native 
plants and are invasive, a trade off which cannot be corrected.
But contained properly and cultured they can benefit us today. 
They are a great source of vitamins and nutrients. Nutritional 
values were not really understood back then. People just knew 
that they felt energized and "peppy" and that was good enough for 
grandma and everybody else.

As always, we are your down home hometown museum.
Kathryn White, President Historic Valentown- VHS

Quote of the Month
 

"If someday they say of me that in my work I have
contributed something to the welfare and happiness of my
fellow man, I shall be satisfied."
George Westinghouse

News and Events
(For other ongoing News & Events, check our web site or our 
Facebook page.)

A CERTAIN KIND OF BLUE
"Our" Valentown Band with Frank Walsh releases their 2nd Album!
 

Actually it won't be out and available until early May
2019, but for a listening preview of one of the songs on
the album, click *here
<http://historicvalentownmuseum.org/mediagallery/media.php?f=0&sort=0&s=20190423183221997>*.

And check out the crate on the inside cover (lower right
image)!/<http://historicvalentownmuseum.org/mediagallery/media.php?f=0&sort=0&s=20190423183221997>;

EVENTS

HISTORIC VALENTOWN & THE HERITAGE OF HOPS*
Saturday July 20th

Learn about the history & lore around of the use of hops in

our area and New York State.

Enjoy Lectures, Demos & Displays related to Hops and
their cultivation and use in Tonics, Brewing and Beers.

*ANTIQUE APPRAISAL DAY ATHISTORIC VALENTOWN*
Saturday October 19th

We will be taking reservations for this event soon!

WEB SITE NEWS

WANTED: VOLUNTEER
Lynne is looking for volunteers to help out with some small

but time consuming tasks for the web site. Technical web
coding experience is not required, but knowing how to
manipulate text and do "cut and paste" copying would be?
helpful. If interested, email her at
webmaster at historicvalentownmuseum.org

THE BOOKCASE
A new forum has been added to the web site called "The
Bookcase"
<http://historicvalentownmuseum.org/forum/index.php?cat=11>;.
Book referrals in this forum may be fiction or non-fiction,
may have historical inference, are generally educational
and/or are just entertaining reading. If you have a favorite
read you'd like to share, send it along to us at
webmaster at historicvalentownmuseum.org.

And now, for our first book recommendations!

THE BOOKCASE

Flushed: How the Plumber Saved Civilization
by Hodding Carter (himself a plumber!)
    
"The unsung hero of human history was, of course, the
Brain of Drains, the Hub of Tubs, the Power of Showers, the
Brewer of Sewers...the humble plumber." W. Hodding Carter

When we consider the amenities that really make a

difference in our well-being, surely good plumbing must
rank near the top. But rarely have we taken the time to
appreciate the engineering marvels that bring clean water
into our homes with the turn of a tap and the flip of a
lever. Until now.

Witty, anecdotal, and thoroughly entertaining, Flushed
chronicles the long and notable history of plumbing,
while following Hodding Carter's travels and travails
around the most underappreciated pillar of civilization.
It's a winning combination of history, science, and
firsthand experience -- a book that will both entertain
and educate those who have never contemplated the hidden
intricacies of this miracle of everyday technology.*
Click here
<https://www.amazon.com/Flushed-How-Plumber-Saved-Civilization/dp/0743474090/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=how+the+plumber+saved+civilization&qid=1555795772&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmrnull>;
to read more on Amazon.com.

      
The Last Days of Night: A Novel 
by Graham Moore

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER 

A world of invention and skulduggery, populated by the

likes of Edison, Westinghouse, and Tesla. Erik Larson

A model of superior historical fiction . . . an exciting,
sometimes astonishing story. The Washington Post
 

From Graham Moore, the Oscar-winning screenwriter of The
Imitation Game and New York Times bestselling author of The
Sherlockian, comes a thrilling novel based on actual
events about the nature of genius, the cost of ambition, and
the battle to electrify America.

New York, 1888. Gas lamps still flicker in the city

streets, but the miracle of electric light is in its
infancy. The person who controls the means to turn night
into day will make history and a vast fortune. A young
untested lawyer named Paul Cravath, fresh out of Columbia
Law School, takes a case that seems impossible to win.
Paul's client, George Westinghouse, has been sued by
Thomas Edison over a billion-dollar question: Who
invented the light bulb and holds the right to power the
country?

Click here
<https://www.amazon.com/Last-Days-Night-Novel/dp/0812988922/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=the+last+days+of+night&qid=1556139451&s=gateway&sr=8-1>;
to read more about it on Amazon.com

Just a reminder, your Amazon shopping can help Historic
Valentown!
See illustrated instructions on how to set it up and
what to visually expect in our forums: How to set up a
Smile.Amazon.com Account
<http://historicvalentownmuseum.org/forum/viewtopic.php?showtopic=148&fbclid=IwAR09T4sS-p-RyZfgQgU1fyNuhM8aBQpbBp5wlBeL0oZTHmNI5tuWxFpN7W8>;

Please consider becoming a community member
<http://historicvalentownmuseum.org/page.php/communitymemberships>*
of Victor Historical Society and support HISTORIC
VALENTOWN on a yearly basis. Members get to vote and
have other perks as well.

Find Us on Facebook!
<https://www.facebook.com/Historic-Valentown-157101550971895/>;

Recipes
See our collection of recipes and hints, tips and substitutions at
http://historicvalentownmuseum.org/forum/index.php?cat=2/

This month our recipes are to celebrate that wonderful
nutritional edible weed, the Dandelion! When in season you
can get fresh dandelion greens in your stores produce
section, but if you want to give foraging for them yourself a
try check out this Erie PA news clip on "how to" from station
JET24: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=227XyoLTHSk

If you do forage for greens, remember not to forage in areas
or lawns that may have had pesticides or chemicals applied.
Also, areas common to doggies should be avoided as well!
Regardless where you source your greens from, wash them
thoroughly at least twice.

Dandelion Salad with Hot Bacon Dressing

This timeless salad was frequently served at family
gatherings at my grandparents house on the Allegheny River in
Pennsylvania.

~~~Lynne

Ingredients:

2 generous handfuls dandelion leaves
4 - 6 slices bacon
1 clove garlic
1 tbsp. red cider vinegar
2 tbsp. vegetable or olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Trim off the roots and bottoms of the dandelion leaves.
Thoroughly rinse and clean them twice in cold water. Pat dry
and place the leaves in the fridge to freshen them while you
proceed with the rest of the recipe.

Peel the garlic, cut in half lengthwise and mince finely.

Heat about 1 tsp. olive oil or salad oil to sizzling in a
skillet. Add the bacon slices and saute, turning, until
evenly browned. Drain the bacon on paper towels, and break
the bacon into bite size pieces.

Combine the vinegar with the bacon drippings and oil in the
saute pan, and over low heat stir well to create a smooth
emulsion.

In a large salad bowl add the bacon and dandelion greens and
toss. Add a little dash of salt and grind in some black
pepper. Add the minced garlic and stir.

Add the hot bacon dressing to the salad bowl and toss. Serve
immediately while dressing is still hot.

Other things that go well in the salad are sliced radish,
grape tomato's, hard boiled egg, halved strawberries, sliced
mushrooms. Get creative!
    
Sauteed Dandelion Greens with Olive Oil, Lemon and Garlic
The recipe works best with young to medium-age (and sized)
dandelion greens.

Ingredients:

Washed dandelion greens 
(as many as you want to eat. (I usually cook several large
handfuls at once).
Olive oil (about 1 tsp per handful)
Minced garlic (to taste)
Sea salt
Fresh lemon

Directions:

Heat the olive oil and a bit of the garlic, in a non-stick
skillet.

When the garlic is tender (but not brown), add the dandelion
greens.

Cook stirring over medium-high heat until nicely wilted
(about 3-5 minutes)
Don't overcook the greens or you'll lose nutrients.

Sprinkle a bit of salt on the greens and add a squeeze of
fresh lemon juice.

You can also add Parmesan cheese, red pepper, crumbled
bacon, chopped onion, or any other ingredients that strike
your fancy.

Levi's "What is it?" Department

Hello Friends,

This small gadget was very useful and time saving.? They came in 
many styles and were plain or real fancy, but they pretty much 
all did the exact same task.? Many of you will probably know what 
they did so give some hints and we can enjoy the guesses.- LEVI

Enjoy more conversation about this "What Is It" on our 
Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/
<https://www.facebook.com/157101550971895/photos/a.708518075830237/2574458035902889/?type=3&theater>;

Our March "What Is It? was a variety of cobbler or
leather tools. Your foot wear and how it fit or didn't was
important if you think of all the walking people did. If you
had a horse and wheels it was not always worth the time to
get it out on the road for short distances. Proper boots and
shoes were really essential. But there were such things as
cruel shoes if they didn't fit or were fashionable but fierce
on the toes. Both men and women were victims of the latest
styles that hobbled or made you sit a lot. Our Cobbler Shop
at Valentown Hall was where you could get relief. Service
included custom footwear as well as ready made or repairs.
The Endicott Johnson factory in New York State mass produced
footwear at the time our shop was operating. Best to you -
Levi

Spring Wonders Part II

OPEN WIDE!

Get ready to Remedy with Spring Tonics
We talked about some Spring herbal remedies this month but
the Patent medicine industry was going strong at the time
Valentown Hall was operating. Warner's remedies and tonics
were made and distributed right in Rochester.
Read more: The Brown Bottle Empire of H.H. Warner
<https://www.crookedlakereview.com/articles/101_135/135spring2005/135shilling.html>;

Still going. Will it ever be solved...? The "mystery rods" 
<https://www.facebook.com/157101550971895/photos/a.708518075830237.1073741826.157101550971895/2096916816990349/?type=3&theater>;