Elderberry ~ beat the birds to them

This was how my Monday panned out ~ elderberry picking. The birds love them so we had to get in there before more had disappeared. I figure we're doing the world a favour too, between harvesting the elderflowers in spring and elderberries about now because there is less seed for the birds to disperse.

In times gone by the elder, Sambucus nigra, was considered a sacred tree. It provided firewood, shelter, food and medicine. It grows well in Canterbury and prefers areas where its roots stay damp in hot weather. It is frost hardy and deciduous and many consider it a weed as it self sows prolifically due to the birds devouring the berries.

Elderberries have usually been made into a syrup for immune support over the winter months. They have been shown to have antiviral, immune enhancing and antioxidant activity. I will freeze mine to make it easier to garble the berries (separate them from the stalks and remove the green ones), then make into elderberry syrup and maybe into gummies. Prof Kerry Bone has said that he doesn't think elderberry is stable in tincture form, so syrup or in tablet form (like in the Mediherb one I took last week when I had the sniffles).

For those in South Canterbury, before the birds get to them, maybe find a quiet roadside elder and harvest some berries while you still can!