Ever hear of an elderberry?

 

Elderberries in full bloom being pollinated by a bee!

Until a few years ago, elderberry was unknown to this family.  One of Big Boss’s school buddies was visiting us as I nursed a cough and cold.  He told me about elderberry juice.  Since drinking a little each morning, he hadn’t had a cold…for years!

And because I’ll pick a natural preventative ANY DAY over pharmaceutical cures, I headed to the liquor store for some elderberry juice.  Yes, I said liquor store.  And you can’t buy it the regular part of the store.  There’s a special little section for it.  No, I don’t know why but I’m sure there’s a perfectly logical government regulation behind it…

 

In researching the elderberry, I learned that it, like the goji berry and blueberry…and other berries…are loaded with all sorts of good stuff!  Elderberries are said to contain more Vitamin C than oranges, are anti-flamatory, reduce arthritic pain, cures colds, increases oxygen flow, fight viral infections…and are cram jammed full of antioxidants.

I also learned that elderberries can be grown here in the Midwest.  In fact, there’s an elderberry “vineyard” down the road about 200 miles!  That gave me the green light to get some plants ordered last year.  If elderberries are good for you, imagine how much better for you they might be IF you grew them yourselves!?  Right?

So, I planted tiny little plants from Stark Brothers last year.  They not only survived the hot, dry summer of 2014 but they thrived!

There are 4 plants here, as tall as the shed!

And this spring they grew like weeds.  And kinda looked like weeds. But..they bloomed and grew and bloomed some more.

This bunch is just turning into berries. They’ll be a deep purple at maturity.

So far my experiment is a winner.  I have netting for them and the blackberries and grapes.  The birds are going on a diet this summer!!

Hopefully, we’ll have a decent first crop of berries.  I’d like to juice them and maybe dry some…for tea.  I know.  I’m counting my chickens before they hatch. Patience. Patience.