Elderberry Experiment: Update #6

[NeoGreen]

4. Small time commercial...

...is the plan. A hobby which will keep me busy, and off the couch, in the years to come and maybe provide a little cash. I already own the land, and since the horses are gone now with the kids (mostly) out of the nest, I have all this infrastructure (barn, tractor, paddocks) just itching to be put to use.

I would like 1,000 plants, but 500 is more likely what I'll be able to manage.

I haven't really decided if I am going to focus on one market yet, other than organic (if I can obtain the credentials). There are a few local food-coops I plan on approaching to see if they would be interested in Elderberries and in what form/format (i.e. dried/frozen). But, all in all, I need to get the plants in and producing before I really see where I'll end up.


My first choice is to make wine, hence the dabbling in the Bob Gordon variety,

with the thought of finding a way to make a pure (organic) Elderberry wine, sans any grape juice as most of the current recipes I have found so far require. Historically in England (reportedly), most wine was Elderberry wine and I doubt very much they mixed it with grape juice from France. After that, if the wine makes any headway I'd start research into making Elderberry Brandy, Liqueur or just about anything Elderberry with a little ethanol.

However, I don't want to lock myself in just yet, since there are so many options: frozen berries, dried berries, juice, etc. Heck, even the seeds can be pressed for Elderberry Seed oil.

Plus, I am slightly concerned about an infestation of spotted wing drosophila (SWD):

http://www.mofga.org/Publications/MaineOrganicFarmerGardener/Spring2012/Drosophila/tabid/2140/Default.aspx

Consequently, I am already looking at options/markets for Elderflowers if some time in the future my fruit is compromised.

Hope that answers your question (sometimes I ask the same basic question in my head, "what the heck are you doing all this for?" )
NG

PS
Plus, if all this is for nought, I really haven't invested much more than my time and I will likely have very happy birds in August/September.

The aroma I experienced last summer while walking through the few flowering plants I already have was almost reward enough. Can't wait to see what 100+ flowering elderberries will smell like.