Elderberries!

[ffemt128]

Took a 50 mile ride on the bike today since the weather was so nice. Scored on the location of about 12-14 more elderberry bushes reasonably close. Now to remember where they were when the berries get ripe. They are easy to spot now with the flowers.

 

[Wade E]

Write down where the bushes are cause they are not easy to find later. By the time I made my mind up to collect flowers they were pretty much gone and had already turned inot baby berries. Oh well, next year for sure.

 

[ffemt128]

Write down where the bushes are cause they are not easy to find later. By the time I made my mind up to collect flowers they were pretty much gone and had already turned inot baby berries. Oh well, next year for sure.

I have a good idea where the larger ones are, it's the smaller ones that I'll have trouble locating again. I'll be doing that ride again soon so I'll take mental notes again. Looks like there are a whole lot of buds not opened yet on the ones around here. There are large clumps of flowers on some branches then some look like the buds just starting out still. Do the berries form where the flowers are? What's the average yield off of a plant?

 

[myakkagldwngr]

I look at others writing about having to hunt elderberries and think how blessed I must be.
Really, here in Florida, they are everywhere.

 

[Wade E]

They are everywhere here also but just spread around.

 

[ffemt128]

I drove past one of my elderberry bushes on Saturday morning. Looks as if about 15% of the berries are getting purple. I checked one of the others and those are still green. Going to have to make a trip around and check the others soon. Maybe this coming weekend.

 

[Wade E]

They are all purple here but the blackberries are finally in season. I picked about 3 lbs today. More coming soon as they ripen. Not a lot around but if you keep on top of them you can get enough for a 3 gallon batch. I did miss some as they dried up on the stalk.

 

[Mud]

Eldos are green here, and only about 1/2 size. Blackberries are green, meaning they're red.

 

[pwrose]

I started on the elderberries here less than a week ago and in the last two days have gotten over 15 lbs so far. I did figure out the trick to the freezing them to remove them from the sticks. Don't just freeze them super freeze them. Since they are so small by the time you take them out of the freezer and start working on them they are thawing out. But if you get them really frozen, the way I did it was to put some berries that were already frozen on top of the heads, then they just fall right off. I also learned that if you put them back in the freezer after you are done taking them off the heads and refreeze them that it is easier to get the little sticks that do fall off out of them. Ok thats my learning experience for today. Oh the floating of the green ones dont work very well in my opinion but I'm still playing with the idea of this so called proven technique.

 

[ffemt128]

Just took a 90 mile ride to check on the elderberries. The plant closest to me is about 50% ripe, need to start harvesting. Then next closest plant is about 75% one of the plants has been pretty much picked clean and it looks like the state mowed down the big one by the interstate. I did locate another smaller one in the same general area. One that I had spied up is pretty much picked clean by birds already. Need to check on the ones near campbells run road to see their status and stop at the ins agent to see about picking theirs.

 

[ffemt128]

Went to check on the local bushes with bags and cutter in hand. After an hour I came home with 4 grocery bags full with just what was ripe. After cleaning and desteming I ended up with 11lb 15 oz of berries. They are now in ziplocks and sitting in the freezer.

The one bush I didn't touch because it was red berries I estimate (if the birds don't get many) I'll get 2 1/2 - 3 bags from it. The other location with just what was red I'll likely score the same amount. I figure with the rain today and warm weather this week, the berries should ripen nicely and be very juicy.

Not hitting the new bush I located out near Bavington, if I harvest properly and wisely, I'm guessing I'll get about 36-40 lbs just from what is within 4-5 miles of my house. Now to find time this week to check and harvest.


Whooo Hoooo

 

[Arne]

I have not tried it, but have been told if you put the heads in a zip lock baggie, freeze them solid, then cut one end off the baggie and shake the bejeesus out of it. Stems should stay in the baggie and the berries fall out. Gonna be worth a try for me this year anyway, the berries in the back yard are not ripe yet but won't be long. The jelly makers aren't gonna be too happy with me this year. They have been getting the berries for a long time but am gonna use them myself this year. Arne.

 

[ffemt128]

I'll be checking one of the bushes again tomorrow after my Dr appt. I managed to get a total of 35 lbs of berries on Saturday. I'm guessing there is probably close to another 10-15 on the bush closest to the house.

 

[gravespinner]

Elderberries are included in Spagnols' kit wines for Barolo and Grand Vieux Chateau and perhaps others. They have recently changed from a fully dried pack to a moist berry pack. It gives the wines a brand new bouquet, though similar in taste.

Am waiting for some to age to see what the difference will be.

 

[djrockinsteve]

Does anyone have a photo of elderberries when they are ripe? Not sure if I've ever seen them and realized what they were.

 

[Julie]

Does anyone have a photo of elderberries when they are ripe? Not sure if I've ever seen them and realized what they were.

Steve,
I think I have a couple on my iphone when Doug and I were texting back and forth. I can text it to you if you want

 

[Julie]

Nevermind, I just checked I have pictures of flowers, not berries

 

[djrockinsteve]

Growing up on the farm we have purple berries alongside the driveway (1/2 mile) and throughout the woods, I don't think they were elderberries though. They didn't look like the above pictures. I'll have to google them later.

My BIL picks them but I've only seen them in jam.

 

[ffemt128]

Steve,

Check this link

http://www.oatmealjack.com/Elderberries/Elderberries.html

 

[countrygirl]

elderberry pic?

well, it just so happens...all this talk of elderberries and surely to goodness there are some around here in good ole' west kentucky. this is what i've found and i hope my i.d. is positive as i've already stripped off 1/2 a baggy's worth and have 4 or 5 large heads waiting for confirmation from this group. it's funny, i've just never noticed them
they're so unassuming...