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Wednesday 26 June 2013

Go pick those Elderflowers...



Free to forage now...



ELDERFLOWERS... Sambucus nigra usefull throughout the year...

giving tender bark, leaves, flowers and berries to use...







To make Cordial...





Fizz perhaps... But only pick your flowers on a dry sunny day most of the yeast is in the pollen...






But personally I just collect and dry hundreds of flower heads then store them...  hanging them up high in the dark.






















A valuable medicinal herb  use in the summer to help with hayfever symptoms.
Good for all catarrhal inflammation of the upper respiratory tract so try it with sinusitis and catarrhal deafness too...

Make a simple Infusion (tea)
1 cup boiling water
2 tsp dried herb
leave for 10 mins

x3 daily drink it hot...

Dried Elder flowers are great to treat colds and fevers, add to a herb tea mix with yarrow, Thyme,  hyssop or peppermint


You could make an ointment with the flowers to treat burns but I use my Aloe Vera plant for that myself


Later pick the berries, very high in vit C, add them to jams and jellies... make wine, cordial syrup or just dry them and eat a few daily.
* the berries have diuretic and laxative properties so don't be too indulgent.. a few will work a treat...



I'll post this now and add photos and recipes later when I have more time...

Get out there and forage nature is so generous...

If you have a recipe do share it here too let us all be generous with our knowledge...

Look what I found this week too in a charity shop...


































A lovely yellow Dru Cast Iron Pan, with a pretty enamel lid...


Till next time
Smiles Cass x

4 comments:

  1. I was just thinking this morning that I must go out into the garden today and pick some elderflowers to make some cordial. I try to make some every year and one year I also made some elderberry liqueur. I use the Sophie Grigson cordial recipe which always tastes delicious. BTW, my ten year old asked whether we could go strawberry picking - I thought she had grown out of that sort of thing but she is so excited about going. So am I, can't wait. x

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  2. I planted an elder bush on our allotment for this reason, but I love foraging, there is just something magical about getting out there and picking natural goodies. Have you tried battered flower heads, they are quite good. I love the cordial too, in fact I've run out. Maybe time for a foraging trip! x

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  3. I think I'm going to try and find some this weekend, if the weathers good! Thanks for the tips! :) x

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  4. The elder bushes in my garden are blooming now, and I'm hoping for the rain to stop so I can pick some flowerheads and make cordial. I also dry some for tea.
    I read once about making elder flower jelly, have never tried it though, but it could be interesting to try.

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Thanks for popping by...
It is always lovely to receive a comment from you... smiles Cass x