Elderberries

If you grew up in the 70's like me, you probably remember the Elton John song "Elderberry Wine." Check out the song on YouTube with video from the Carey Grant movie "Arsenic and Old Lace."

I planted elderberries at One Love Farm a few years ago. The plants are fairly prolific and, like raspberries, send up new canes each year. Because of this it is important to prune back old canes to keep the plant in check. But, you don't want to cut back all the canes as the elderberry plant produces fruit on one, two and three year old canes. I've used elderberries to makes jams and jellies and as a garnish in cocktails. You can also make pies from elderberries and, as Elton John suggested, make wine.

My favorite use for the plant, however, is to use the flowers. The blossom heads are huge (eight inches or more across) and can cover the entire plant in late June and early July. If you take a dozen of these blossoms and put them in a mason jar with two cups of simple syrup and the zest of a whole lemon and let it sit for a few days you will make a nice elderberry infused syrup. Then, add two cups of water and the juice of two lemons (more to taste) and you will have a wonderful Elderberry Lemonade!