Forums HomeGrown Herbalist Student Forum Herbal Medicine Making Bottling elderberry syrup & how to dry elder berries

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    • #24401
      Heather Wood
      Student

        A few years ago I made and bottled elderberry syrup.  It had ingredients like ginger root, lemon juice, and honey in it along with the juice from the elder berries.  Does cooking it completely destroy the medicinal value?  Also, how do you dry elder berries?

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      • #24488
        Laura Scott
        Student

          Doc talks about drying and cooking in the Individual Plants section over in the course section.  I just watched it!

          When I dried mine this past fall, I just cut the whole umbrel off the bush and laid them out on a table covered with craft paper.  I kept turning them over for a few days and then when my dehydrator was available I put them through on a very low heat until the berries were so dry they were falling off the twigs by themselves.

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          • #26267
            Charlotte Chumlea
            Student

              I have been told that freezing the branch of ripe berries before drying results in berries fall of the stem without having to pick off each berry by hand.

          • #24964
            Cheryl Clark
            Student

              Here is Doc’s video of how to make elderberry syrup using his kit:

              (REDACTED By Auto-Moderator Robot)>

              (Note that he says elderberry doesn’t mind heat, it can be boiled and it doesn’t hurt the medicinal value.)

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            • #26035
              Dr. Patrick Jones
              Homestead Instructor

                The medicine of elderberry seems to be unharmed by boiling/simmering.

                Don't use herbs or combine herbs with medications or use them during lactation or pregnancy without talking with your healthcare provider.

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              • #26854
                Dr. Patrick Jones
                Homestead Instructor

                  I dry the berries by air drying the umbels and then knocking the berries off after they’ve dried.

                  Don't use herbs or combine herbs with medications or use them during lactation or pregnancy without talking with your healthcare provider.

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