Every time we go up north or out west we buy a bunch of it. For whatever reason elderberry jam isn’t that popular down here, so you can’t find it any where. We’ve looked at farmers markets and specialty stores, nothing…
If anyone processes their own, and would be interested in parting with some of it, let me know.
Thanks.
I made some for the first time. It perfectly filled the jars so I didn’t even get a taste. I would have had more berries but they went bad on the plant while I was away. If you want to be the guinea pig, fine with me.
You can get it online as anything now days. For example : Elderberry Jelly - Spreads - Cooking & Baking - Nuts.com
I’d be happy to be a guinea pig.
I would be interested on how it compares to commercial so I’ll send a jar, and keep one in reserve for you if you want more. just pay postage, PM me with address. If you still want to try it?
BTW mine are made with Sambucus nigra
the Euro elderberry.
We have several varieties–York, Nova, Johns, Adams, Samdal, Samyl, Bob Gordon, and Marge. The jellies/jams we make from them are always the first to sell out. We freeze all our fruits and do our jelly making in the winter while we have more time and the weather isn’t so hot. This year we’re going to try adding aronia to some and see how the combo works. I’m hoping they’ll do well together.
Any favorites?
The Bob Gordon and Marge are new and haven’t fruited yet. I’d say so far, the Samdal and Samyl have been the least prolific in berry production despite looking the best. Frankly, the others are pretty much indistinguishable other than height and taste the same. They have pretty much ripened simultaneously as well. However, we have had extreme weather from floods to droughts since they have been planted. They are only in their fourth years. I am impressed with their hardiness and ability to survive.
That is so strange, mine are crazy berry producers. I love them, they take up very little room as I grow them like blackberries, 2nd year canes are removed after fruiting.Sometimes left a third year, but never longer. So i have 3-5 foot canes, each plant has about 3 canes, each cane produces about 15 flower heads. so 45 flower heads on a plant 3 feet tall.
I only have photos from the first year they produced (2nd leaf).Barely 3 feet tall, more like 2 feet.
Elderberry producing machines! Large flower heads too.
I know if left to grow one plant can have hundreds of heads, but this works for me. They are between my house and the neighbors, and have little room to grow. I really don’t need anymore else I would let them grow into monsters.
Elderberry jelly proved one of our bestsellers last year, so we doubled production this year. One issue we have had though is getting it to set up well. It is more like thick syrup. We really have no issues with this with all our other jellies. This year we added aronia juice in with it because of its high pectin content–no appreciable difference. Taste though is fantastic, no astringency whatsoever.
where are you selling it? would love to get a jar or two. We’re almost out.
no astringency w aronia?
interesting…ever try making an aronia jelly?
Jeremy, we are in southern IL. We sell at our local farmers market and from our email business. We have mailed jellies in the past but not too often. It gets a little pricey what with shipping and all. Our farm is Pawpaw Ridge Farm. You can Google it to find out about us.
Mark, we have not yet made aronia jelly, and the elderberries greatly dominated in the recipe. Frankly, I don’t find aronia particularly enjoyable by itself, but I can make it palatable and useful by blending it with other more flavorful fruits and, thereby, reap its health benefits. It’s reputed to be very high in pectin, so that’s why we mixed it in. We’ll see how it goes over with the public. Regardless, we’ve really enjoyed it.
Well jelling can be a delicate process. I would suggest trying black currants to mix with either elderberries, or aronia. Just because it sounds like an awesome blend to me. For a better set besides adding aronia or black currant, heck reds too, anyway besides those try adding 1/4 cup lime or lemon juice for every 6 cups of product. Low acid hinders gel set. If you are worried about a flavor change you can use citric acid instead. Sold with canning goods. I like lemon or lime better, it adds some tartness to the product and also prevents color change. Not important here, but with fruits that tend to oxidize, it stops the process. Often this will tilt the set in your favor, also adding more sugar is another option. You could use a pectin product to increase pectin instead of fruit. The best one is the no sugar stuff as it sets with less sugar. My first batch didn’t set either, I added more pectin and lime juice, and a little more sugar and it set like a rock! Pectin and no sugar pectin is available in bulk. Getting this balance right is hard, once you do hopefully you take good notes on how you did it. I will be increasing my regular amounts of sugar, acid, and pectin with elderberry attempts in the future.
i made a jam from aronia, blackcurrant and red raspberries. it was fantastic! i did the same as drew to get it to set. 1st. batch was watery without the added pectin but still was good! i have 5 elderberry bushes but i the berries don’t ripen before the frost kills them. i may have to remove them. too bad as they’re beautiful bushes!
It’s interesting how they will not ripen. Totally a zone thing, When i start to feel sorry for myself living in zone 5a, I remember some of my friends have it worse, Stop complaining! Maybe some cultivar will,
Have you seen this from Maine?
http://www.mofga.org/Publications/MaineOrganicFarmerGardener/Summer2004/Elderberries/tabid/1328/Default.aspx
i have wylewood and bob gordon. the place i got them from had them rated for z3. well they aren’t. we had a long warm fall last year and they almost ripened. if they had i would have had tons of berries! I’m thinking of replacing them with Adams and Johns cultivars but have found contradicting grow zones for them too. i found a wild patch this summer but never got the chance to go back to see if they fruited but they must be? rooted a bunch of cuttings . maybe plant them with another cultivar like johns? and how the heck do you kill off 5 8ft. tall elderberry bushes!
Old thread, but I’m curious if there is any way to get American varieties to flower at such a short height? Currently growing Bob Gordon. Am I stuck with European varieties only? Would Marge, a European/American hybrid work?
