Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Elderberry Season Has Begun!

If you are new to foraging, mark your calendars for Elderberry season. Start checking the beginning of August. If you picked out bushes/trees this spring while they were flowering, now is the time to collect. Some berries will continue to ripen over the next couple weeks.

Here's a tip. You will frequently find elderberries next to telephone poles. Birds perch on the top and, well, you can guess the rest!
Posted by at
Labels:

3 comments:

  1. Felecia CofieldAugust 13, 2015 at 7:52 AM

    Hi Dr. Mom! I wished I could find some around here! I have been searching on our property and the neighbors but so far, none. Now poke, that's abundant! It could be too dry, since i think Elderberries grow by creeks? But I will definitely look under telephone poles! Looking forward to Elderberry recipes! Blessings from Bama!

    ReplyDelete
  2. AlanAugust 16, 2015 at 6:35 AM

    Would love to hear what you do with your Elderberries.
    Be careful about collecting anything from around utility poles. Besides all the carcinogenic road runoff, utility companies spray defoliants and other pesticides around poles. The poles themselves are treated with some serious chemicals to keep them from rotting which leach into the ground around the poles. Not a good idea to collect anything you will consume within 50-75 feet from a roadway.
    Alan
    http://ethnobotanist128.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  3. Dr. MomAugust 18, 2015 at 11:27 AM

    Thanks Alan for the info on telephone poles. I will certainly keep that in mind. Fortunately the few that I have located near poles are very rural and uncared for by any utility. As for uses, I make a great syrup that can by used either medicinally or as a topping for pancakes and ice cream! I also use it mixed with crab apples to make jelly. I am planning on trying it in a pie very soon. We'll see how that turns out!

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)