Instructional videos are all the rage. Why learn something written in boring black-and-white when you can just watch a video about it, right?
Except that I generally view video as a time vacuum. When I can skim a page of written material and learn in 30 seconds what a YouTube video takes 10 minutes to tell me… sorry, but this busy mom is skipping the video!
So video — any video — better be gripping if it wants to hold my attention! Which is why I subscribe to precious few YouTube channels.
But I’m a total sucker for ONE of them.
So if you don’t know me well, let me start by telling you these things about myself: I am a total history nerd. I homeschool with what is an unintentional-but-maybe-intentional focus on American history. My favorite era of all time is the 18th century/American Revolution period. I am fascinated with historical reenacting. And I feel a special kinship with anyone who shares my love of history.
And so it makes sense that Townsends and I are a match made in heaven.
A Townsends recipe we tried and LOVED, though we did it on our stove instead of over an open fire. This was some seriously tasty fried chicken. Check out the video below for all the how-tos…
It was via a homeschooling Facebook group that I first learned about Townsends, and I feel cheated that I didn’t know about it sooner!
Jon Townsend is a living historian and YouTuber who explores pretty much all things 18th century. He’s also the owner of Jas. Townsend & Son, a manufacturer and retailer of reproduction 18th century clothing, cookware, and accessories for historical reenactors and the general public.
While apparently the YouTube channel began as a way to show customers how to use some Townsends products, it has grown to include all sorts of 18th century cooking and instructional videos. For a history buff/homeschooling mom like me, they are a joy to watch, and I love sharing them with my children. My kids have seen the long process involved in making a dugout canoe, (something they were fortunate enough to help with a little when we visited Jamestown) building an earthen oven, and starting a fire with flint and steel. These are lost arts that give an amazing glimpse into the lives of our ancestors. (And I love it, too, when these videos motivate my boys to get outside and play like survival experts, which is often!)
I love the blending of history and cooking, too, because I think food is a great way of connecting with the past. In our homeschool we’ve started Townsends Tuesdays, where we try a different 18th century recipe featured on Townsends. We may not be able to do it every Tuesday, but we hope to do it at least once a month, and much more often if my kids have anything to do with it!
And as much as I love the cooking and instructional videos, I may love the live question-and-answer sessions on Friday even more. Jon is a wealth of knowledge where the 18th century is concerned, and he draws from years of his own research into primary sources like journals, letters, and memoirs. For me, it’s fascinating stuff, and I appreciate his insight. Not only do I learn a lot from his answers, but I’m also motivated often to go looking for more information on my own.
If you’re into history…. or food… or survival skills! You need to follow this channel. It’s perfect for home educators, too, or anyone who would rather your time spent on YouTube be truly worthwhile.
But be warned of this guy’s nutmeg addiction! (This will make more sense if you watch very many Townsends videos.) I’m afraid it’s rubbed off on me already. But, hey! Nutmeg is pretty good in coffee…
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