Making Elderberry Syrup

We've put in a full week of school so far.

It's been going great! 

It sure feels good to settle into a school routine again.

But it's always sad to bid another summer farewell, isn't it?...

Thankfully the homeschooling life allows much free time.

"The most effective kind of education is that a child should play amongst lovely things."

~ Plato

Life has been very well here at the Downs' farmhouse.

Our hens are still laying beautiful, colored eggs...

Roman's still working on the illustrations for my book...

And I've been trying to make good, nourishing meals as often as I can...

Recently, I discovered a recipe for homemade elderberry syrup and decided to give it a try.

We've had elderberry bushes on our property all these years, but this is the first time I've ever done anything with the berries.

Did you know that elderberries have long been used for medicinal purposes?

They are not safe to eat raw, but once cooked they can be used as a dietary supplement.

I've read that elderberries are helpful for minor diseases like the common cold or flu.

This is the recipe I found on-line...

~ 3C fresh or 1.5C dried elderberries

~ 3C water

~ 1C raw local honey (I used 3/4C and it's still very sweet.)

~ 1-4 cinnamon sticks

~ 3-5 whole cloves

After I foraged for my berries, I had to separate them from the stems and leaves, and wash them thoroughly.

This was the worst part.

Not hard work, just time consuming.

Elsa helped me.

Her job was to pick out any green berries.

I had planned ahead for this project, and purchased a juice container for my finished result.

I made sure the berries and the container were washed really well.

The recipe says to place the berries, water, and spices in a pan and bring to a boil...

Once it's at a low boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Smash the berries to release the remaining juice, then strain the mixture.

After 30 minutes of cooking, the berries look like they have given up on life, haha...

All their color is gone...

Allow the liquid to cool before stirring in the honey...

And ta-da!... My elderberry syrup is ready for cold and flu season!

I read that this will last stored in the fridge for 2-3 months.

But I really don't think mine will last that long.

I've been feeding it to my children each morning with their breakfast...

And I drink a teaspoon of it in my tea each night at bedtime...

I think I might walk back out to my bushes to see if I can find more berries to make a second batch before winter.

But truthfully, I saw elderberry syrup in the homeopathic/vitamin section at Walmart just the other day, haha... That sure seems like the easier way to go!

What kinds of tricks do you do for your family to stay healthy this time of year?

Have you ever tried making elderberry syrup?

I'd love to hear about it in the comments!

Until next time friends,

xo,

~ Courtney ~