How to Harvest and Preserve Elderberry

As the late summer sniffles simmer down and crisp fall winds begin blowing through the air, it is time to think about preparing for the impending cold and flu season – which, for me, includes harvesting and preparing my favorite winter remedies.

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And that means… it is time to harvest elderberries!

Here’s what’s to come in this guide:

This enchanting deciduous shrub is decorated with clusters of small white flowers in the spring, which eventually develop into bundles of tiny black or purple berries. In the wild, you will tend to find them in wet and swampy areas, often in disturbed places.

Boasting a multitude of marvelous uses, this plant is an incredibly supportive medicinal winter remedy touted by many herbalists and practitioners of traditional medicine, not to mention it makes for delectable jams, pies, and even wine!

In ancient Celtic traditions of Northern Europe, elders were revered trees, cherished as gifts from the “Elder Mother” goddess who was believed to reside inside the plant.

They were thought to be a window into the soul of trees, protecting forests and the people that cared for them, and they were often planted around houses and farms to protect the land and the gardens. Cutting one down or burning its sacred wood was considered highly taboo.

In Danish and German folklore, prior to cutting, it was necessary to ask the Elder Mother for permission, or else risk coming into misfortune. In Ireland, cutting down the elder tree was forbidden.

Upon the introduction of Christianity, however, the reputation of the