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Elderberries

October 30, 2015 By Karen Creel

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Many of you recognize elder as a common shrub that grows around ditches and wet areas but may not know  the elder had a sacred past in England.  The tree was thought to house the “Elder Mother”, and  permission had to be requested to use any of her parts.  The flowers, roots, leaves, bark, and berries have been used in a variety ways for medicinal purposes, especially to help with colds and flu.

And just in case  vampires are a threat, you can bury an elder branch under a corpse or hang a twig over your doorway to fend off witches!

elderberry

A great way to enjoy the benefits of elderberries is to make jelly from it.
Elderberry Jelly
2 quarts elderberries washed and stems removed
2 cups water
1 box pectin
5 cups sugar
Bring berries and water to a boil in a large non reactive saucepan. Simmer  until berries are soft.  Strain through a jelly bag or cheesecloth.  Do not squeeze for a clear jelly.  You should have 31/2 cups of juice, if not , pour a little water through the crushed berries.  Return 3 cups of elderberry juice to the pan and add the pectin to the juice.  ( I add a tablespoon of butter to decrease the amount of foam) Bring to a boil.  Stir in the sugar and bring to a full rolling boil. Boil for one minute.  Remove from heat.  Skim and pour into hot sterilized jars.  Do not fill completely, leaving about an inch or two.  Seal jars according to directions.
Elderberry Jelly Recipe www.Gardenchick.com
Picture courtesy of DavesGarden
Jelly recipes courtesy of China Bales Book of Days
I had the pleasure of reading this book before it was ever published.  It is 365 days of herbal information, recipes, and lore.  I turn to frequently for information.  China Bayles is Susan Wittig Albert’s fictional character in her series of Herbal Mysteries.  click on the picture for your own copy. I know you will enjoy it like I have.

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Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: elderberries, elderberry bush, elderberry jelly

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I’m not sure when my fascination with junk began, but gardening was in my blood from an early age.  I remember my grandmother could throw a few seeds out and have the prettiest flowers.  Sweet peas were rampant beside the front porch.  I can see her now, bent over pulling weeds, and I find myself doing the same thing anytime I’m in the yard.  My dad was raised on a large farm, and even though he moved away, and we always lived in the city, he had a garden.  He had me help him  plant a garden in May before he died in August.  So you can see, gardening just comes naturally to me.

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So, I hope you will follow along, and we can learn a few things together.  I’ll be sharing gardening ideas, my flea market finds, and thrifty ways to repurpose.

 

 

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