A few days ago, Mark brought home a couple of bags of elderberries he had picked out in the back 40. I hopped to it to clean them and turn them into elderberry syrup.

It is a four-step process.

• Cut the berries off the big stems (since I’m only using the juice I don’t worry about the little stems… makes things go much faster).
• Cook the berries and then strain the juice like you would for jelly.
• Add sugar to the juice and boil it down to thicken the syrup.
• Put into the canner for a few minutes to ensure the seal.

This is our years supply of Elderberry syrup to take us through cold and flu season. (I’ve already had my first fall cold… kids at the fair, LOL!!!)  Along with my stash of dried mullein, this is my go-to remedy for the fall/winter season. We use it every time a ‘hint’ of sore throat or congestion threatens.

I have some of last years leftovers in the pantry. In a few days I plan to bring that out and turn it into jelly…. Yum!!!