On our latest wild food expedition, we were searching for elderberry trees with ripe fruit. After seeing these shrubby trees for most of my life and knowing that jams, jellies, syrups, wine and home remedies were and still are made from the fruit I decided that this was the year I would try making some jam and syrup. Check for updates on that project!
While we were searching out the elderberries we also found some fruit trees that had self planted or were started from seeds critters or birds had dropped. You can find many different types of apples and prunes along the roadways and on old farmsteads. Our area was once full of apple and prune orchards and we even had a market for dried prunes. There are still many orchards in the area but now days mostly cherries, apricots and peaches.
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Sometimes you have to get
creative to pick Elderberries! |
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One of many Elderberry Shrubs
we found today. |
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| Loaded with berries! |
