Elderberry Syrup Plus

3 cups water

1/2 cup dried elderberries

1/2 tsp dried ginger

1 cinnamon stick or 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 Tbs rosehips

1/2 cup honey – raw honey is preferred*

Directions:

Bring water to boil in a saucepan, add in elderberries, ginger, cinnamon, and rose hips and reduce to a simmer.

Simmer for 30-45 minutes or until liquid has reduced by half.

Let the syrup cool.

Strain through a fine mesh sieve, cheesecloth, or muslin.

Add in the honey once cool and stir.*

Store your elderberry syrup in a jar in the refrigerator. Alternatively, you can make large batches of elderberry syrup and can them or freeze them in mason jars.

Keeps for 2-3 months

Dosage: Preventative: 1 Tbs/daily for adults, 1 tsp/daily for children over 1 year.

When Sick: 1 Tbs/2-3 hours for adults, 1 tsp/2-3 hours for children over 1 year.

* Warning: Babies under 1 year old should not have honey

What to do with the lefover elderberrues after making the syrup:

Place used Elderberries into a pot. Add 4 cups of water and bring to a boil.

Once boiling, remove from heat and let sit 10 minutes.

Allow mixture to cool a bit and then strain.

Add in sweetener and enjoy.

If you aren’t ready to drink your tea right away or you do not want 4 cups worth, I recommend storing in a mason jar in the refrigerator. When you are ready for tea, just heat it back up or drink it cold.

Dosage:

As this is nowhere near the strength of Elderberry Syrup, there really is no need for dosage.

A cup a day is what we usually do.

Elderberry Jelly (Vegan & Refined Sugar-Free)

Elderberry Syrup is now available for preorder on my new website. Cold and flu season is here, so now is a good time to stock up on this immune boosting syrup. There are 32 bottles available for this first round of preorders. Once they sell out, or when the preorder period is over, all orders with Elderberry Syrup will be shipped. This is my first time setting up preorders, so feel free to ask any questions if needed. Please check out this and everything available on my new sh0p, ashantisgarden.com (l!nk in bi0). Every order comes with a gift. Business and engagement have also been slow online, so feel free to share this post.

IG: ashantisgarden

Hey Everyone, I mentioned a few months ago in my elderflower tea post that it's best to wait for the berries and now it's time for Elderberry Syrup! Mid to Late Summer is typically the time to find ripe elderberries, the only edible kind are the ripe black elders discard the green berries. In the eastern US that's most likely gonna be S. Canadensis. I'm going to go through the process of cleaning and preparing to make syrups.

You'll need:

A strainer

A potato masher or like crushing implement

2 tablespoons of honey per cup of whole berries

Elderberries fresh

2-3 cups of Water per cup of berry

First thing to do is to find an elderberry bush, if you search my tags for 'Elderberry' or 'Sambucus Canadensis' you will see how to identify the plant through leaves. Right now fruit should be hanging heavy off the shrub, feel free to cut the ends of berry bunches off the steam to gather berries in a bowl or basket.

First go through the effort of removing the berries from the stems, remove as many stems as you can as they contain poisons if consumed in high quantities (they should be easy to remove). If you struggle with hand dexterity i recommend using a hair pick or a fork to pull the berries off the umbel. Be sure to rinse the berries often, there will be some little spiders. Once rinsed, place the berries in a pot and start mashing with the potato masher then pour your water. Seeds should float to the top, for convenience/propagation purposes you can remove them but removing them from the pan in not necessary, cooking will kill the toxic potential of the seeds as long as they are not consumer directly (we'll strain them out at the end). Bring the berries and liquid to a boil and then simmer for 45 minutes until reduced.

Once reduced place a strainer over a container and pour the berries over, use a spoon to press additional juices from the mixture, remove any seeds which may have fallen in.

Next we should add honey to the elder syrup as the flavor is vastly improved (and less bad) with the addition of honey. Mix vigorously.

Finally you should have about 1/2 cup of syrup per 1 cup of solid berries. As seen in the image below you'll also have a bunch of seeds, I recommend spreading these on moist soils if elders are native to your region. You'll also have a wonderful syrup flavour to add to seltzers and spritzers

[EDIT] use this fresh it did not store very well

I got sick in time for the Halloween; I was pretty grumpy about it. That’s why I couldn’t do my usual shenanigans for the holiday, I had to quit all my pumpkin treats and carving and even getting the pumpkin, because I couldn’t move from the bed and was barely fixing myself some basic meals.

After two and a half days of being sick, I got tired of it. I’m not used to being sick for longer than 24 hours and I hate that covid weakened my immune system. I needed to get better faster, dammit. So, I remembered I still had some elderberry syrup from the last year. It was in the fridge for a long time, and it fermented a lot, to the point where it tasted alcoholic. I wasn’t sure if it still worked like it used to, and I decided to take some to see what happens.

You’re not supposed to take elderberry syrup when you’re already sick; the way it works is that it redirects energy from your body into your immune system, so if you’re very sick, your body is already using most of your energy to fight the virus, and if you direct more, you can deteriorate badly and your fever can get worse. But, I didn’t have a high fever anymore, I was just physically weak and had difficulty breathing, and my sinuses were clogged up. And, I felt if at this point I redirected more energy to my immune system, I would simply feel a bit worse and then get better faster. So, I grabbed that out-of-date, fermented elderberry syrup and just took a decent gulp and went to bed.

And wow did it work!! I deteriorated so fast, next time I tried to get up, I realized i could not stand up at all, it was like being in a high fever, though I didn’t have a way to check if I had one again. Have to give it to the elderberry syrup, fermenting in the fridge did not affect it’s medicinal abilities at all! It does work!

I wasn’t upset about getting worse, it was late evening already, and I simply went to bed. Woke up feeling way better than before, and the day afterwards I was okay to go to work again. 100% worth it. Felt like I was at least doing some kind of witchcraft for Halloween.

Why Organic Elderberry Syrup is a Must-Have for Immune Support

Why Organic Elderberry Syrup is a Must-Have for Immune Support

Why Organic Elderberry Syrup is a Must-Have for Immune Support

Let’s get right to the point. Shall we? Elderberry has been scientifically proven to support the activation of the immune system and prevent the replication of viruses, as well as being active against bacteria. Full stop. Do you need to read that again? Elderberries have some pretty amazing benefits. It’s no wonder I always have a bottle of our organic Elderberry Syrup in the fridge for the first sign of sniffles or scratchy throat. In addition to all the modern research, Elderberry has been used for centuries to treat upper respiratory infections and support health in the wintertime when we seem more susceptible to these bugs. Here are the major takeaways about Elderberry (a plant in the sambucus family with multiple genuses, including nigra) from study results published in scholarly journals on PubMed. Proven to inhibit the infectious activity of viruses (PMID: 26645032) In a study with influenza A & B symptoms were relieved on average 4 days earlier with Elderberry Syrup (PMID: 15080016) Significant reduction of cold duration and severity (PMID: 27023596) Shown to inhibit the viral replication and block the virus attachment of human coronavirus NL63 (HCoV-NL63) (PMID: 31560964) Water-derived elderberry extracts induce potent immune-modulatory effects, which represents the basis for a strong immune-mediated response to viruses including influenza compared to alcohol extracts that do not do this. (PMID: 35409309) Stimulates immune response and prevents viral infection (PMID: 22972323) Inhibits replication of influenza A, B, swine flu and turkey flu, significant improvement of the symptoms within 2 days, complete cure in 2-3 days in 90% compared to up to 6 days in the placebo (PMID: 9395631) Most of the research focuses on viruses (influenza A, B, swine flu, common cold, and recently coronavirus), but there’s also examples of elderberry protecting against bacterial infections. Active against human pathogenic bacteria (Gram-positive bacteria of Streptococcus pyogenes and group C and G Streptococci, and the Gram-negative bacterium Branhamella catarrhalisas) well as influenza viruses (PMID: 21352539) Ok, so if you want to go down the scientific study of elderberry rabbit hole, click any of the links above and read on to your heart's content. Want to know more about the plant itself and some of its more magical qualities? Stay with me. Black Elder (Sambucus nigra) is a shrub that can easily grow into a tree. It grows in Europe and North America, tolerating many environments and enjoying full sun. Each spring it produces clusters of tiny cream colored flowers called elderflowers. These flowers can connect us to the realm of above and fairies, and they have a strong connection to children, representing purity and innocence. Elderflowers tend to be gentle, yet profound. Then as the heat of summer arrives, the flowers wither and the berries ripen. Depending on the genus of the plant they range in color from a dusty light blue to a deep, dark purple. The berries are typically dried and then extracted in water (sometimes glycerine or alcohol), though as referenced above, water extraction is the superior method. Anthocyanins in the elderberries turn the water a deep purple and these are the compounds that stimulate and support our immune, respiratory systems and more. Elderberries are not sweet on their own. They have an affinity for the root and heart chakras, promoting a sense of being centered and open simultaneously. Which makes sense to me because when I am feeling vibrant and healthy I also feel centered and open, and elderberry helps bring us back to vibrant health. I hope you learned something new reading this. Let me know if you have any questions about Elder.

Strawberry Shortcake OC episode ideas

- Pumpkin opens his restaurant but has to learn to accept help. This is easier said than done. 

- An episode about Chronic illness and invisible disabilities, featuring Winterberry. 

- Elderberry has small segments between episodes teaching about health and when to treat yourself vs when to go to the doctor. She has one episode dedicated to her (it’s about Homeopathic Medicine and how it can be dangerous) but is otherwise a side character.

- Chamomile Tea moves to Strawberryland and teaches kids that some people are better off being avoided.

- Cranberry has an episode about colorblindness (because I’ve never seen it portrayed in Children’s media) and one about how it’s okay for friends to be alone sometimes. He sings a song where he just sing-yells “LEAAVE ME ALOONE STRAWBERRY I JUST WANT TO BE ALONE GO AWAY, I’M NOT UPSET(YET) JUST LET ME FISH IN PEAAAACE!” three times and getting increasingly more aggressive each time.

- The pets (OC and Canon) get together and have their own adventure trying to rescue Custard and Honey Pie Pony.

- Chamomile versus Sour Grapes and the Purple Pieman. It ends up with her repeatedly betraying Strawberryland every time the latter shows up in an episode. Sour Grapes is deeply bothered by her behavior and the Purple Pieman starts to agree with his sister after an Incident involving Angel Cake and a jar of honey.

- Obligatory Swearing Episode featuring Pumpkin, Rainbow Sherbet,  and Ginger Snap, because I think they curse a lot.

- Blueberry Muffin plots revenge against Chamomile Tea after the latter embarrasses her at a writing competition. The revenge is successful. Blueberry regrets nothing. This episode doesn’t teach any good lessons.

- Huckleberry hangs out with the boys and discovers a new house with new kids named Snowberry and Monkshood. They are (as their names suggest) also some of life’s antagonists like Miss Tea. Snowberry bullies Winterberry for being sick and Monkshood hates girls. Huckleberry protects Winterberry and Pumpkin beats Monkshood up after he insults Raspberry Torte, who is visiting.

- Pumpkin teaches the confections on how to cook healthy food and explains cooking the color wheel, plus why dieting is a bad idea without talking to your doctor. 

- The confections (Strawberry, Pumpkin, Huckleberry, Ginger Snap, Seaberry Delight, Orange Blossom, and Lemon Meringue) get lost at sea when helping Rainbow Sherbet crew her boat over a long journey. Lovecraftian horror nonsense ensues. Huckleberry punches candy Cthulhu. It's never too early to teach a crippling fear of the sea!

- Halloween episode. Featuring a ghost named Fruit Bramble, who scares the crap out of everyone. 

- Snowberry starts a prank war. It gets out of hand, because he and his brother are life’s antagonists

- An episode where the kids team up and make up their own TV shows. Experimental animation is included with each show.

Bottle Food Label Stickers Collection for your homemade recipes!

How to make Elderberry Syrup

How to make Elderberry Syrup

What is Elderberry Syrup?What are the health benefits of Elderberry Syrup?What are the precautions with Elderberry Syrup?ConclusionHow to Make Elderberry Syrup Recipe So today we are going to talk about Elderberry Syrup. I got the inspiration for this post from the folks over at Menchard Farm as they had posted about it. Now I have heard and seen a lot of posts about elderberry syrup so I was…

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Elderberry Immune Tincture

The weather is getting cooler, the cicadas are singing, and the leaves are starting to change.  Wandering into any local grocery store or Walmart, you will be made fully aware that autumn is officially here.  And if that isn’t enough, pumpkin pie blizzards and pumpkin-spiced lattes are out and advertised in their full glory.  This truly is my favorite time of year.

Not only is this the time of year when flip-flops are traded for shoes, when tank tops are put away and jackets brought out, and the thermostat button is moved reluctantly from ‘air’ to ‘heat’, but it is the time when illness rears its ugly head.  While our immune systems are more easily compromised during flu season, we can take steps to keep our bodies healthy.  Not only that, but this easy-to-put-together recipe has a mere three ingredients and just a couple of steps.

#elderberrysyrupKIT

Another summer day in the bag. This is the first year, in a very long time, that I haven't felt quite ready for summer to be over. Regardless of my feelings, the season is reaching its end. And the end of one season requires preparation for the next season. Elderberries are finally coming in here in Virginia and need to be picked before the birds get to them. For the next couple of weeks I'll be out picking baskets of berries every few days. The real joy for me is getting to sit down and pick off all the berries into a bowl. This year, rather than dehydrating batches and batches of berries, then making batches and batches of syrup when we need it, I'll be freezing all my berries and later cooking and canning one giant batch of syrup. Maybe by the time I am done canning I'll be over the heat and ready for the cool fall air.

And maybe I'll get to canning some apple butter.

Elderberry Syrup Recipe Rumor has it that a tablespoon of elderberry syrup will help prevent or fight off a cold or the flu. However, it's delicious served on waffles, ice cream, or anywhere you'd like to serve an interesting and tasty fruit syrup. 3 cups water, 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root, 3 whole cloves, 1 cup fresh elderberries, 1 cup honey, 1 cinnamon stick

Elderberry Syrup is still available in the sh0p. This homemade syrup is great for cold and flu, immunity, and vitamin C boost. There is only one left. I haven’t decided if I’m restocking this soon or not. If you’re interested in a restock, please let me know or it won’t be restocked until the fall/winter. Please check out this and more herbal creations, candles, and home decor/thrift finds available in the sh0p. Every order comes with a gift. Also, I decided to move the sh0p update to 4/20. I’ll keep you posted on what I’m working on for then. For more details on everything in the sh0p, you can find the l!nk in my bi0.

IG: ashantisgarden

Homemade elderberry syrup, surprisingly it’s mostly honey

1/4 c. dried elderberries

Mix with 2 c. water

Boil mixture and simmer for about 30 min.

Strain, add honey in about a 2:1 ratio to the liquid.

Good for 3-4 months in tue fridge :)