Rural Missouri - June 2012 - (Page 9)

Left: Brad Foster, left, of Hartsburg and Joseph Klinefelter of Lupus process the morning’s harvest of elderberries using a prototype de-stemming machine last August. When perfected, the machine will cut down on time and labor, effectively doubling the value of the berries. Below: Eridu Farm owner Terry Durham displays the snow-white blooms on an elderberry plant. Terry’s orchard is the largest commercial elderberry farm in the United States. four years of commercial production, Terry hand-shucked elderberries from their stems — a time-consuming task. In 2011, he began experimenting with a mechanical de-stemmer that he hopes is perfected in time for the 2012 season. He says when you account for the time and labor saved, the de-stemmer doubles the value of the berries. In addition to the 37 acres currently in production at Eridu, Terry has another 13 acres planned for next year. He also tends smaller elderberry orchards for other landowners in Boone County. Terry buys their berries — along with those harvested from the wild — for about $1 per pound. He says a mature commercial orchard can produce thousands of pounds per acre. Unlike blackberries or blueberries, elderberries aren’t ideal as a fresh-eating fruit. They have a tart, somewhat grassy ﬂavor that requires the addition of sugar or honey, making them better suited for processing into other products. All of the elderberries Terry harvests eventually ﬁnd their way into three products sold under the River Hills Harvest label: pure juice, jelly and an herbal cordial used for sore throats. According to Terry, it takes 12 to 14 pounds of berries to make one gallon of juice that wholesales for $120. He currently sells 11-ounce bottles of juice for a retail price of $16.97. Terry’s dream for elderberries doesn’t stop with juice, however. He and other growers have banded together to form the River Hills Harvest Elderberry Producers, a vertically integrated farmer cooperative that intends to provide its members with production information, marketing assistance and most of all, a place to sell their berries. everything at farm“It’s what ers markets,” he farmers need,” adds. Terry says. “They For the third have to have a consecutive year, place where they Terry is organizing can go and sell a comprehensive, their elderberries two-day workshop and be assured of and farm tour on a marketplace.” June 7-8 for proHe envisions ducers who might a network of be interested in de-stemming stagrowing elderbertions across Misries. The workshop souri and eventuis held in conjuncally the Midwest tion with Eridu — similar to the Farm’s Elderberry hulling stations Festival featuring that Hammons live music from Products Co. in more than 30 artStockton has ists. This year’s River Hills Harvest currently produces devised for black workshop will feathree elderberry products: juice, jelly walnuts — where ture a dinner that and an herbal cordial for sore throats. both commerwill highlight its cial growers and namesake fruit. those harvesting wild berries can Horticultural research contincome to sell their crop. In the future, ues on elderberries. Andy Thomas he hopes to build a dedicated processrecently completed another variety ing plant for juice. trial, though results of the trial are not “There are millions of pounds of yet known. He says projects also are wild elderberries that rot and fall underway to learn more about manto the ground every year,” he says. aging microscopic mites that could “Instead, they could be an economic decrease production, as well as idenengine for our state.” tifying viruses in elderberry that may The demand for elderberry prodhinder their full potential. ucts seems to be on the rise. Terry was The results of another ongoing able to sell his entire 2011 crop and research project could have even every other berry he could buy. His greater impact on the future of the nursery business, ElderberryLife, sold elderberry industry. out of cuttings this year. He hopes In late 2010, the National Institutes that as the availability of berries of Health awarded a ﬁve-year, $7.7 increases, members of the co-op will million grant to the MU Center for create new products that can be sold Botanical Interaction Studies and the under the national label. Missouri Botanical Garden to study “We’re really trying to develop ﬁve plants, including elderberry, for farmer marketers instead of selling their potential to treat cancer, stroke and infectious disease. Depending on the study’s results, the “country people’s medicine chest” may open up to a wider consumer base. As Missouri emerges as a leader in elderberry development and production, the world has taken notice. In June 2013, scientists from around the world who study all aspects of the elderberry will converge at the University of Missouri for the ﬁrst international symposium on elderberries. The meeting will include horticulturalists, botanists, biochemists, food scientists and economists. Andy Thomas is coordinating the symposium, which dovetails with Terry Durham’s farmer workshop and festival. “It’s going to make for a long nine days,” says Terry. In less than a decade, the elderberry has gone from relative obscurity to legitimate contender as a cash crop and Missouri’s “superfruit.” “This is a crop that could be good for a lot of people,” Terry says. “It could bring viability to our farmers and their farms, create new industry for our communities and improve the health of the whole country.” Space is still available for those wishing to attend the June 7-8 workshop and farm tour. For more information, visit www.elderberrylife.com/workshops or contact Terry Durham at 573-999-3034 or info@elderberrylife.com. Tickets to the third annual Elderberry Festival, June 7-10, can be purchased online at www.elderberryfestival.com or through the Blue Note box ofﬁce in Columbia. River Hills Harvest products can be purchased at a number of grocery stores and health markets across Missouri, or online at www.elderberrylife.com. JUNE 2012 9 http://www.elderberrylife.com/workshops http://www.elderberryfestival.com http://www.elderberrylife.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Rural Missouri - June 2012

Rural Missouri - June 2012
Table of Contents
Comments
Columns
The power of purple
The little town that could
Out of the Way Eats
Missouri snapshots contest
Sustainable forestry
Stocked with adventure
Hearth and Home
Outdoors
Around Missouri
Marketplace
Neighbors
Just4Kids

Rural Missouri - June 2012