Newsletter - 2022 3rd Quarter

News and Events

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

Media Grant

We have been trying to put together an "on the road show" about Historic Valentown for some time now.  To accomplish this we need to purchase an HDMI capable projector and laptop, large retractable drop down screen, and audio and amplification equipment. This will allow us to deliver museum presentations to live audiences off site.

We are eager to share our historic museum and its unique story with the public and reach people who may not be able to have the full museum experience of Valentown. With that in mind we have graciously received a grant of $250 from the Simmons Family Fund / Rochester Area Community Foundation. This first donation was quite a surprise and kick starts us towards our goal of $1,500 to acquire the new presentation equipment.

If you would also like to help we would greatly appreciate it. We are accepting donations towards this specific project on our website at https://historicvalentownmuseum.org/page.php/OnTheRoad.

Mail Lady Carriers

We just never know who is going to be on our tours that might incidentally contribute to our history! While giving a tour we were speaking about Cynthia Dunham. Mrs. Dunham, whose saddle bags are on display at the museum, was a postal carrier who substituted for her husband temporarily in the 1800's. We mentioned that though we can't be sure of it, that she was possibly the very first "mail lady" in Monroe County. The woman on that tour remarked that she was actually only the 4th woman carrier working in the entire Albany area when she was hired in the 1970's, over 157 years later.

Barns and other Beautiful Things
The foundation of the farm
     

Rural American history's foundation was not the grand or humble farm house on a property but the barns and other important outbuildings. Today the old barns are often overlooked, neglected or removed and not considered for restoration. They can often be seen coming apart at the seams and falling to the earth that was once tilled and made them the most important structure on a farm property. In the rural American landscape the barn has no rival. The iconic barn in a field is photographed in endless shades of color and contrast, haloed by light that now shows their care or neglect from not being used. 

When they were originally built, they had various uses that dictated their shape and careful placement on the land.  Their construction was often a community event. A barn raising was not only a benefit to that individual farmer but enriched the neighbors and the expectations for all involved in the farming business. Keeping them in good shape was essential and the barn might be painted or attended to even before the house. The barns and outbuildings kept the farm operating.

Barns today are still being built, but very few are of the classic kind we all love to see. Metal pole barns are superior in wear and maintenance. The cost of repairs to the old barns make it difficult for owners to look in the direction of major fixes or restoration. But there are resources out there for those who have the means to bring their heritage barns back to life. And community awareness of the value of old barns and other related  buildings as part of our rural American landscape is essential. For your options in barn preservation in the New York State areas please check out this link.  https://www.preservenys.org/barn-preservation. 

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Web Site News

Don't forget - you can find digital versions of our newsletters by going to the Newsletter Archives:
 Forum Index - Historic Valentown Museum.

 

Remember - from the "Search Valentown" tab at the top of the web site, you can do a general website search using  keywords. If the keywords match an entry anywhere on the web site it will pop up a list of where to locate the content you're looking for.

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EVENTS

WHAT : A presentation on raising gentle mason bees for growers and backyard gardeners. The presentation includes lecture, slides, videos, nesting material displays, question and answer sessions, and a live demo of harvesting cocoons. The events will probably take at least an hour but not more than two.

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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

Please consider becoming a community member of Victor Historical Society and support
HISTORIC VALENTOWN on a yearly basis. Members get to vote and have other perks as well.

Recipes

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

This quarter we're going to share some hints, tips and hacks for storing and preparing food.

Did you know...?

Meat should be at room temp before you begin cooking it.

A quick sear on both sides of steaks and chops will help keep them from drying out during cooking times.



The best way to grill drumsticks is to first rub them down with olive oil, season them with salt and pepper (and a little garlic powder, too, if you like that flavoring) and let them sit for 20-30 minutes before grilling. Grill them for 30 minutes on high heat, turning 1/3 turn every 10 minutes. This will give you a fully cooked drumstick with a nice flavorful char.
 


Tomato's can be popped in a freezer bag and stored in the freezer! When thawed out, they easily slip out of their skins. Although they won't be suitable for slicing for salads and such, they'll still be good for sauces, stews and soups.



For perfect hard boiled eggs with a golden cooked yolk, bring eggs to room temp first. Cover with hot water and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minute, then remove from heat and rinse under cold water. Let them cool off at room temp before refrigerating. You'll  also be amazed at how easy they will be to peel.

If you add about 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the water you boil eggs in, if they crack while cooking the egg white will stay inside the egg shell!


Looking for something to do with a banana that's over ripe? Slice it and place wax or parchment paper on a cookie sheet and pop them in the freezer. When they are frozen, store them in freezer safe storage bags or containers. You can thaw them out at room temp for adding to cereal, salad and so forth... or make banana bread. You can also add them to waffles or pancakes, just add maple syrup.

Fresh green beans and yellow beans will keep longer if you store them in a storage bag in the fridge
with the picked end down in about 1/2 inch of water. Use a glass, bowl, cup or other container big enough to support the beans, add the water and store the whole container in an unsealed storage bag. The reason you want it to remain unsealed is to prevent condensation buildup from the water, so you need to let the beans breathe.

We hope at least one of the above "tricks" will bring you a new technique to add to your cooks knowledge!

Levi's Tool Box

Hello Friends,

As you know, Valentown Hall is a very unique building. When it was operating the shop keepers would use tools like the ones in our collection for their work. Also in our collection are many household tools. Some tools require a skilled hand and muscular limbs, but other tools have specific purposes for use in the kitchen, for sewing and dressing, and a variety of other purposes. Levi's Tool Box shares images and history of  unique tools as presented by one of our Tool Talkers. We hope you enjoy learning about tools from yesteryear.

  - LEVI

This is an 18" Long Fireplace Combination Tool.

The main shaft of this tool has "Pat Apld For" (Patent Applied For) cast on it. It is probably made of malleable iron, circa 1875.

The fireplace tasks include lifting the wire bail on a kettle. This is helped by the 1/4" pin on the inside of it that locks the bail from slipping off.

The long pointed handle end is described by an educated guess. This would serve to form the fire coals as it burns away.

On many combo tools, the designer will add whatever he can to make it more appealing.  In this case, a small tack hammer head at the end, and a tack claw opposite the hammer.

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