Helpful tip, I have found that separating the berries from the stems into a tub of water is a time saver....as 25-30 pound harvest is an average year for me...the good, usable berries sink, and all the stuff that floats can just be skimmed off....a hair pick, the plastic kind popular in the 70s afro-phase work well to "rake" the berries from the stem.
Was totally surprised to discover an elder tree near our home. Sitting in plain sight! Been driving by it for years completely unaware. Stumbled on it as we were inspecting another plant. Got super excited! Funny cuz I had expressed my hope that someday I might get lucky and find one. looking forward to future harvests!!
I’ve used elderberry for years with our kids. Our pediatrician recommended. We just discovered elderberry trees on property we just bought and I’m so excited to make this! Thanks for posting.
I've been watching videos all morning on how to do this because mine produced for the first time this year and are finally ripe. I got my glass jar and vodka ready like you said, went out with my bowl only to find that ALL OF MY ELDERBERRIES ARE GONE! I would've saved some for the birds but they didn't save any for me lol. Lesson learned, I'll be quicker next year.
We use Elderberry tincture too. I worked in the health food industry for 20 years. You might want to look into corn silk also. I make a tincture out of that also.
I have found that after harvesting elderberries it's easier to rinse & then freeze before picking them off the stim. I'll use a clean bucket & shake them off the stim & they fall right off.
I used a wide-tined serving fork to destem my berries. Later, I used a clean plastic hair pick. Worked beautifully. If you cook the berries for 40 minutes, it neutralizes the cyanogenic glycosides. I made both medicinal syrup this year, as well as jelly. That jelly is like candy in a jar! SO good!
Loved the video, my wife and I just picked roughly 5 5gallon buckets of elderberries and they are sitting in the freezer waiting for me to process them.
@@eringobragh6507 the top ones are for the birds, the ones I can reach are mine😁 I put organza bags over the nice low ones, that way I get a nice harvest.
Try using hairnets on the bunches of elderberries. This is what I used to keep the birds away from mine. It gives them more time to mature and you get twice the amount of berries. Thank you for posting the video
Just went through your comments and noticed that no one identified your "hornet". Actually a cicada killer. They are not aggressive with humans, and are a solitary creature (not building hives or nests like other bees). Very interesting to observe, if you find their nest/burrow.
Great video Todd! How nice that you have them growing on the Homestead. Thanks for your demonstration. I make it the same way, although I have the dried ones. God bless!
I planted mine, one from the local plant society (with my peach tree) and some local sticks that rooted very well. Now I have 2 dinosaurs 😁 and I cut them back hard!
The husband and I went along the highway and picked elderberries . It took me over 5 hours to pick them off stem and pick out green ones , stink bugs and lil spiders. The husband won't use alcohol so I made a batch of jelly and 12 pints of syrup hopefully it works for colds and help búild the immune system
U can make an oxymel. I made one 5 weeks ago, with blueberries and elderberries. It's yummy and potent. I ran out of elderberry tincture this am. New batch brewing as I write...the house smells divine❣Good Luck!!!
Great video. I just started making an oregano tincture. I take it followed by an elderberry honey cough syrup I make. It's been helping a lot. I am hoping this will finally be the year I will not have to go to the doctor to get an antibiotic to kill the viruses which will be wonderful!
I made three pint jars. 1/2 cup dried elderberries and alcohol filled to the top. One jar has 190 proof Everclear (I plan to add water & honey when bottling because of its strength), Brandy 80 proof and the third is Rum 70 proof. They won't be ready until April 17th but since I have a cold I need to make some cough syrup to use right away.
Watching your video made me want to try to make this tincture myself. Going to buy myself some 80 proof and some mason jars with plastic lids. Thanks for the lesson!
That hornet sounds like what we call Cicada Killers in North Texas. I call them Flying Fingers of Doom but apparently they rarely sting people; they're just incredibly intimidating.
Speaking of Elderberry wine I found a whole bunch of Elderberry bushes growing wild up the river from where I live last summer so I plan on going up there this summer harvesting all of them bringing them home to my father and sister who happened to be very good at making wine. I'll let you know how it goes, I did subscribe to your channel after this video or during this video
Ricola had elderberry lozenges that worked awesome and then they stopped making them. That experience sold me completely. Wish they would make them again.
Elderberry contains cyanide. Especially in the bark, leaves, stems, unripe berries. So separate the ripe berries first. Any remaining toxins in the seeds of the berries can be greatly reduced by boiling. If you use a water/glycerin extraction method, it’s so poor, that you don’t normally have to worry, unless you have industrial amounts. Ethanol is very efficient extraction method compared to water, but it also extracts the toxins, so it’s important to separate ripe berries and boil first!
Indian ghost pipe, ghost pipe, native ghost pipe are all the names that it’s called. it’s a natural pain medicine. Remember, if you find it in the woods only to pick the flower and stem do not uproot it because it is a perennial and they will come back. they’re getting more and more hard to find so make sure you allow nature to keep its roots. It is actually an edible flower, and it turns purple when added to your vodka. When harvesting ghost pipe, you need to have your alcohol in a jar as soon as you pick it. As soon as ghost pipers picked, it immediately starts to die, and you lose medicinal properties.
Liked the video. I have two questions; 1.Where did you get your elderberry bushes/ trees? 2. What species of elderberry is it? I would like to find some in the wild but not sure where to look.
Well I'm sorry to say I don't know to both of your questions. They were already on the property when we purchased it. Wish I had better answers for you
Where do you live? I find abundant in N Idaho, but the elderberry trees grow very high, 10ft++ Need a ladder and a fruit picker to pull the branches down to pluck. They seem to grow near lakes, but 20 ft inland from lake. Also up in the hills where it rains. Search your area to see if they grow near you.
Good lord, as you were mashing them in the GLASS jar, I was petrified that thang was gonna break!! lol How about just crushing them before you jar them?
I had made my tincture and just did dried berries with the 80proof. Is it normal to smell like strong alcohol? It’s a beautiful color. This is my first time.
Awesome video. Watch She is of the woods. She gives amazing information on tinctures and has alot of video's. She suggests using 100 proof vodka bc its 50% water and 50% alcohol. But she also says 80 proof is ok to use.
Hello Rachel and Todd. I just happened to come across you guys on RUclips. Loving everything you're doing. Just one question; how do you consume all this food you're producing? I commend you on all the hard work you're doing. There's just no way we could go through that much food in a year. Or two, even. Best wishes to you both.
Some years we put up more of one thing than others, example we didn't raise pigs or Turkey this year because we still have some in the freezer. I also didn't grow as many carrots as I did last year, but tripled the amount of tomatoes. I think we are still learning what we need to preserve. I don't want to ever need to shop for eggs, vegetables, meat or honey if I can avoid it. So far we've done pretty well and usually have plenty to share with family and carryover into the next year.
@@1870s - Understood. Well, I for one truly admire you both for the amazing things you're doing. I've been binge watching your videos since 2 am this morning. Simply amazed at the amount of work you two put in. And, on top of your fulltime jobs outside of the home. Also, I love the affection you two express towards one another. Working together as a cohesive team is the only way to go!!
I was always told the alcohol functions the same as cooking( at a cellular level) it also doesn't risk over heating the berries which destroys the good benefits. But google it or tube it. Lots n lots of info out there. 13:46
Thank you for this video! I did this in October with Ripe fresh Elderberry. I placed the full berries in jars and did not squish them as you did. I added vodka and shake up occasionally. Should I blend them or go back in and squish them or it is okay as is? Thank you!
I make California Poppy tincture for pain, anxiety, and sleeplessness. I also dry the plant to use as a tea blend with Chamomile and honey. I would love to try this one you made, it looks great.
Question.. I have some elderberries that I froze to de-stem. They're in a brown bag in the freezer..I was unable to get to them at the time(maybe end of July begining of Aug 22') and when I realized I still had them from then I noticed a hole in my bag..do you think they're still good..for say..jam or do you think they're pretty much done for as far as maybe freezer burned. I sure would hate to waste them and I'd also hate to go through all the work to make jam and then they taste freezer burnt..any help would be appreciated...Thank you in advance!
I think I might have ruined my whole crop!! I dehydrated them and they still felt sticky. So I put them in the oven at 200 degrees for 5 minutes or so and now they are crispy! When I pinch them between my fingers, they aren't hard but become powder. Did I ruin them???
This is what I wanted to find. Just left a channel where she killed all the enyzmes by using a slow cooker and canned them. Delicious but she kept saying it was medicinal.... not anymore lady.
Helpful tip, I have found that separating the berries from the stems into a tub of water is a time saver....as 25-30 pound harvest is an average year for me...the good, usable berries sink, and all the stuff that floats can just be skimmed off....a hair pick, the plastic kind popular in the 70s afro-phase work well to "rake" the berries from the stem.
I heard that freezing them allows you to shake the berries off the stem easier.
"She Is Of The Woods" is the herbalist I follow for all advice and recipes on tinctures and other wildcrafts to make.
She's awesome. I made a jelly jar full last night. 100 proof. 👍
Same
Was totally surprised to discover an elder tree near our home. Sitting in plain sight! Been driving by it for years completely unaware. Stumbled on it as we were inspecting another plant. Got super excited! Funny cuz I had expressed my hope that someday I might get lucky and find one. looking forward to future harvests!!
I’ve used elderberry for years with our kids. Our pediatrician recommended. We just discovered elderberry trees on property we just bought and I’m so excited to make this! Thanks for posting.
I've been watching videos all morning on how to do this because mine produced for the first time this year and are finally ripe. I got my glass jar and vodka ready like you said, went out with my bowl only to find that ALL OF MY ELDERBERRIES ARE GONE! I would've saved some for the birds but they didn't save any for me lol. Lesson learned, I'll be quicker next year.
Oh yeah, they'll go fast. I think I was too late this year too, there's not many left at this point.
You can throw a net over your bushes so the birds dont get them first! They're greedy! lol
I bought fine net bags about 6 x 12 to cover grape bunches. I bet it would wor❤k for elderberry bunches.
We use Elderberry tincture too. I worked in the health food industry for 20 years. You might want to look into corn silk also. I make a tincture out of that also.
I harvest elderberry yearly. Love all these tincture recipes!! Thank you!! (Central Illinois farmer.)
I have found that after harvesting elderberries it's easier to rinse & then freeze before picking them off the stim. I'll use a clean bucket & shake them off the stim & they fall right off.
Thanks and greetings from Poland,where elderberries are popular as well.
So are my ancestors. They knew soooo much.
I used a wide-tined serving fork to destem my berries. Later, I used a clean plastic hair pick. Worked beautifully. If you cook the berries for 40 minutes, it neutralizes the cyanogenic glycosides. I made both medicinal syrup this year, as well as jelly. That jelly is like candy in a jar! SO good!
Loved the video, my wife and I just picked roughly 5 5gallon buckets of elderberries and they are sitting in the freezer waiting for me to process them.
Always leave some for the birds.
@@eringobragh6507 the top ones are for the birds, the ones I can reach are mine😁 I put organza bags over the nice low ones, that way I get a nice harvest.
Try using hairnets on the bunches of elderberries. This is what I used to keep the birds away from mine. It gives them more time to mature and you get twice the amount of berries. Thank you for posting the video
Great video man! I'm thinking about planting a few trees. Thanks for the great info 👌🏼
Yes, always do your research. Good video.
I tied mylar on thee branches to scarebow thee birds 😂 it worked ! Crows were mad caukin
Just went through your comments and noticed that no one identified your "hornet". Actually a cicada killer. They are not aggressive with humans, and are a solitary creature (not building hives or nests like other bees). Very interesting to observe, if you find their nest/burrow.
Great video Todd! How nice that you have them growing on the Homestead. Thanks for your demonstration. I make it the same way, although I have the dried ones. God bless!
I planted mine, one from the local plant society (with my peach tree) and some local sticks that rooted very well. Now I have 2 dinosaurs 😁 and I cut them back hard!
The husband and I went along the highway and picked elderberries . It took me over 5 hours to pick them off stem and pick out green ones , stink bugs and lil spiders. The husband won't use alcohol so I made a batch of jelly and 12 pints of syrup hopefully it works for colds and help búild the immune system
U can make an oxymel. I made one 5 weeks ago, with blueberries and elderberries. It's yummy and potent. I ran out of elderberry tincture this am. New batch brewing as I write...the house smells divine❣Good Luck!!!
Great video. I just started making an oregano tincture. I take it followed by an elderberry honey cough syrup I make. It's been helping a lot. I am hoping this will finally be the year I will not have to go to the doctor to get an antibiotic to kill the viruses which will be wonderful!
Do you have a channel or a video that can help with oregano tincture or your honey?
I made three pint jars. 1/2 cup dried elderberries and alcohol filled to the top. One jar has 190 proof Everclear (I plan to add water & honey when bottling because of its strength), Brandy 80 proof and the third is Rum 70 proof. They won't be ready until April 17th but since I have a cold I need to make some cough syrup to use right away.
Lordd Stanley Sigstad, how do know how much honey and water to add? I'm new to this and appreciate your input. Thank you!
@@connierodenburg129 Go for taste. Add ginger and cinnamon, maybe cardamom.
Yes do research because tinctures don’t go bad and last more than one or two years lol
Love the infor gonna research elderberries and tincture
I have dried elderberries, I want to but a qt. Jar how much of them do I put in, do I rehydrate them first, thanks, also can I use Gin
you can also use apple cider vinegar for a non alcoholic tincture:)
Someone asked if birds eat elderberries. One for sure, the waxwing eats ours as they migrate in the early fall.
Thank you so much !!
Thank you for the video ! 👏🤩✨
Watching your video made me want to try to make this tincture myself.
Going to buy myself some 80 proof and some mason jars with plastic lids. Thanks for the lesson!
Probably a European Hornet, they are big and yellow...Thanks for sharing, I'm picking Elderberries today, peace , Brice
I’ve used elderberry for years. I will look for the dries berries on line. Thank you
Mountain Herbs out of Oregon. Organic.
That hornet sounds like what we call Cicada Killers in North Texas. I call them Flying Fingers of Doom but apparently they rarely sting people; they're just incredibly intimidating.
I started out with syrup, now I think tincture will be with the next picking tomorrow. Thanks!
Most tincture/extracts are made with 80 proof or above and lasts indefinitely.
Great video my friend ❤
Speaking of Elderberry wine I found a whole bunch of Elderberry bushes growing wild up the river from where I live last summer so I plan on going up there this summer harvesting all of them bringing them home to my father and sister who happened to be very good at making wine. I'll let you know how it goes, I did subscribe to your channel after this video or during this video
Beautiful elderberries ... yes, do your research and learn about nature. Thank you for sharing ...
Thank you Todd! really enjoyed learning this and hope to try. Blessings................Patti
Ricola had elderberry lozenges that worked awesome and then they stopped making them. That experience sold me completely. Wish they would make them again.
Aren't you here to make your own? Buy dried elderberry if you cannot find in your area, at Mountain Herbs out of Oregon...online.
That’s a good news bee is what my grandmother called them.
Thank you!
Elderberry mead is amazing! If ever you get an opportunity to taste some, do so! You won't regret it.
Elderberry contains cyanide. Especially in the bark, leaves, stems, unripe berries. So separate the ripe berries first. Any remaining toxins in the seeds of the berries can be greatly reduced by boiling. If you use a water/glycerin extraction method, it’s so poor, that you don’t normally have to worry, unless you have industrial amounts. Ethanol is very efficient extraction method compared to water, but it also extracts the toxins, so it’s important to separate ripe berries and boil first!
Ive heard if 13:46 you get them above a certain temp it destroys the medicinal properties
Indian ghost pipe, ghost pipe, native ghost pipe are all the names that it’s called. it’s a natural pain medicine. Remember, if you find it in the woods only to pick the flower and stem do not uproot it because it is a perennial and they will come back. they’re getting more and more hard to find so make sure you allow nature to keep its roots. It is actually an edible flower, and it turns purple when added to your vodka. When harvesting ghost pipe, you need to have your alcohol in a jar as soon as you pick it. As soon as ghost pipers picked, it immediately starts to die, and you lose medicinal properties.
We make a few batches every year in the summer. We even have a Short video about it : ruclips.net/user/shorts8HAB5YNT28A
Liked the video. I have two questions; 1.Where did you get your elderberry bushes/ trees? 2. What species of elderberry is it? I would like to find some in the wild but not sure where to look.
Well I'm sorry to say I don't know to both of your questions. They were already on the property when we purchased it. Wish I had better answers for you
Where do you live? I find abundant in N Idaho, but the elderberry trees grow very high, 10ft++ Need a ladder and a fruit picker to pull the branches down to pluck. They seem to grow near lakes, but 20 ft inland from lake. Also up in the hills where it rains. Search your area to see if they grow near you.
I’ve been using Elderberry syrup now for 15 years!
Thanks great video
Thanks‼️
I wish I had elderberries, LUCKY
Interesting, thank you
That bee was likely a cicada killer
Good lord, as you were mashing them in the GLASS jar, I was petrified that thang was gonna break!! lol How about just crushing them before you jar them?
I had made my tincture and just did dried berries with the 80proof. Is it normal to smell like strong alcohol? It’s a beautiful color. This is my first time.
Thank you God bless stay safe
Title starts at 6:45.
Thank you for your video. Is there any harm from cyanide poisoning from using the fresh elderberries in making the tincture? Thank you
Awesome video. Watch She is of the woods. She gives amazing information on tinctures and has alot of video's. She suggests using 100 proof vodka bc its 50% water and 50% alcohol. But she also says 80 proof is ok to use.
Is it okay to put a few drops into a glass of fruit juice or soda and take it that way instead of dropping the tincture directly to the tongue?
Good lesson. If the seeds are potentially poisonous, and I would smash the berries like you did, does the poison get into the tincture?
They're pretty hard, and really small. I doubt my smashing would actually crack open one of the seeds.
Freeze them with them on the stem and they come off easily wash first
Hello Rachel and Todd. I just happened to come across you guys on RUclips. Loving everything you're doing. Just one question; how do you consume all this food you're producing? I commend you on all the hard work you're doing. There's just no way we could go through that much food in a year. Or two, even. Best wishes to you both.
Some years we put up more of one thing than others, example we didn't raise pigs or Turkey this year because we still have some in the freezer. I also didn't grow as many carrots as I did last year, but tripled the amount of tomatoes. I think we are still learning what we need to preserve. I don't want to ever need to shop for eggs, vegetables, meat or honey if I can avoid it. So far we've done pretty well and usually have plenty to share with family and carryover into the next year.
@@1870s - Understood. Well, I for one truly admire you both for the amazing things you're doing. I've been binge watching your videos since 2 am this morning. Simply amazed at the amount of work you two put in. And, on top of your fulltime jobs outside of the home. Also, I love the affection you two express towards one another. Working together as a cohesive team is the only way to go!!
If you freeze the clusters they just fall off the stems. Why use a fork when they fall off this way?
I thought wild elderberries were toxic unless you cooked them down and processed then before eating .
Depends what you pick 👀
I was always told the alcohol functions the same as cooking( at a cellular level) it also doesn't risk over heating the berries which destroys the good benefits. But google it or tube it. Lots n lots of info out there. 13:46
I think that bug was called a japanese hornet that you saw on your video.
I like your video. My fiance is into making homemade blends and elderberry syrup and elderberry tincture is a few of them.
I just made ghostpipe tincture! Such a unique flower
We've made some before too 😸
I sure have to L👀K up ghost pipe.
it was a Fly that imitates a bee for safety ..-looks like a large bee lol ! no stings
Thank you for this video! I did this in October with Ripe fresh Elderberry. I placed the full berries in jars and did not squish them as you did. I added vodka and shake up occasionally. Should I blend them or go back in and squish them or it is okay as is?
Thank you!
This should be fine just as it is
Or, run them through the blender, put back in jar and run through a cheesecloth later. Personally, I'd just eat/drink the entire batch w/o straining.
Can I make a elderberry tincture using food grade glycerin or honey instead of alcohol? If so, how would I do that?
Todd what kind of elderberry is yours? I got berries from a friend and theyre not sweet. Maybe it depends on the kind
No clue, they were here on property when we bought the place
Depends when she picked them, maybe too soon.
Hello, what is the difference between making alcoholic tincture and apple cider vinegar tincture to avoid alcohol ?
Regards
Look up recipes for syrups which avoid alcohol.
Look up oxymels. It made with vinegar and honey.
Doesnt mashing them break the seeds and release the glucosides?
The seeds are very hard. The smashing I performed would be very unlikely to break any seeds.
@@1870s Thanks and an alcohol tincture will not extract any of the seed contents then? Because I'd like to keep the elderberry raw
Can dried berries be used as well?
Yup!
I always heard you should never use any less than 80% alcohol for any tincture.
40% is 80 proof
Good video, appreciate the gift of knowledge. Have you done fermented garlic with honey?
We have a jar in the fridge right now 😁. Don't think we ever did a video on it though.
I make California Poppy tincture for pain, anxiety, and sleeplessness. I also dry the plant to use as a tea blend with Chamomile and honey. I would love to try this one you made, it looks great.
Would that be like heroin ?
Prune the Elderberry bush and you will get big once the next year
I need to do something, it keeps getting taller and taller. Cannot reach them anymore.
Good video 👍☮️✌️❤️
Did you plant your elderberry bushes? What variety are yours? Are they the American variety?
They came with the property they just grow wild around here
Tito’s isn’t really vodka - it’s corn alcohol, which is great for this application. lol
Question.. I have some elderberries that I froze to de-stem. They're in a brown bag in the freezer..I was unable to get to them at the time(maybe end of July begining of Aug 22') and when I realized I still had them from then I noticed a hole in my bag..do you think they're still good..for say..jam or do you think they're pretty much done for as far as maybe freezer burned.
I sure would hate to waste them and I'd also hate to go through all the work to make jam and then they taste freezer burnt..any help would be appreciated...Thank you in advance!
o its okay to make tincture with fresh elderberries and not dry them first?
Thanku. Try rubbing the berries off the branch with your palm instead of picking one at a time maybe
Do you know the ratio of dried elderberries to alcohol. You r using fresh so the dried would be much stronger. Thanks
Can this be made with dried elderberries ?
Look up recipes on it. Mountain Herb has a recipe on it, others as well.
4 months is how long I wait.
Can elderberries used to make tincture, be reused for a second batch?
Why ???
@@kookietherapy9398 - To get a second batch.
could you use rum instead of vodka?
Anything 100 proof is fine
Hello Todd ! By any chance do you have any elderberry tree (bushes) for sale??
I have 1 or 2 starts going now. Do you live close?
I am from Middleville Michigan
Maybe shipping in the mail 🤷🏻♀️
I think I might have ruined my whole crop!! I dehydrated them and they still felt sticky. So I put them in the oven at 200 degrees for 5 minutes or so and now they are crispy! When I pinch them between my fingers, they aren't hard but become powder. Did I ruin them???
Hmmm. Maybe 😯
@@1870s I sure did. As I tried to make syrup, the water was brown and not purple. A whole season's crop gone!! Well, I know better for next year!
Awe. Sad for you 🥺
Maybe a hummingbird bee?
You talked about 2 ways to make tincture with them. But you only told us about the alcohol one.
Never had a sweet elder berry
I made tincture with dried berries and forgot about them. They've been sitting about 8 months. Is this still ok? Thnx
Sure, should be fine. You use vodka?
Murder hornet!!
Thanks for the video
Probably a Cicada Wasp
I thought Indian Pipe was toxic
In Ms.the elder berry are purple,not black like your.
This is what I wanted to find. Just left a channel where she killed all the enyzmes by using a slow cooker and canned them. Delicious but she kept saying it was medicinal.... not anymore lady.
❤️🇨🇦
Better off fermenting them in honey