Processing and Marketing Research/Development of Elderberry and Agroforestry Crops

Commodities

Practices

As demonstrated above, my current need is to access an appropriately equipped processing facility and development of market channels. Like me, many agroforestry growers in Iowa and the North Central Region face major barriers to scaling production due to:

• Lack of accessible, local processing infrastructure tailored to small farms

• Limited market pathways for fresh or frozen or processed berries, as well as nuts

• Insufficient regional aggregation networks

• Lack of market development for small to medium scale specialty crops

• Gaps in knowledge relating to branding, packaging, and e-commerce needed to reach consumers

My 2024-25 harvests reveal the limitations of my current shared-use kitchen, which serves farm visitors, events, and guests. A much larger 2026 harvest will require a dedicated, food-safe processing facility that can handle increased production and, eventually, serve as a regional hub for other agroforestry farmers. Without such processing infrastructure, growers struggle to turn raw crops into profitable products.

The innovative solution is to
develop and evaluate a scalable processing model for elderberries
and related perennial crops that can serve both my farm and other
regional growers. This project will produce an actionable,
farmer-ready blueprint for processing capacity-including facility
layout, equipment needs, workflow designs, regulatory
considerations, and cost analysis-paired with market research and
product feasibility testing. This integrated approach ensures that
processing decisions align with real market opportunities and
sustainability goals.

The project includes three
core components: (1) research on market demand and buyer
preferences; (2) research on regional grower supply, needs, and
barriers; and (3) design and demonstration of a processing system
that enables efficient production of value-added products.
Together, these components support my need for marketing and
processing development, provide me with tools to expand into
aggregation and processing of other farmer's crops, and create a
replicable solution that supports other farmers in the possibility
of developing their own markets and facilities. All of this
bolsters regenerative agriculture by increasing the viability of a
perennial crop farming system.

This is primarily a research
and demonstration project. Research methods include structured
interviews with growers, retailers, restaurants, online buyers, and
consumers to assess market demand, pricing, volume requirements,
and preferred product formats. Research will also be conducted
into e-commerce, website, and branding development for online
sales.

Parallel interviews with
regional farmers will document current production volumes, harvest
timing, freezing/processing needs. All interviews will be
summarized into written findings that guide facility planning and
product development.

The demonstration component
focuses on designing and testing the workflow for producing
elderberry vinegars, shrubs, oxymels, syrups, and sauces. Using
existing cottage-scale equipment, I will conduct small production
runs to document processing steps, labor hours, bottling and
labeling times, storage needs, and potential bottlenecks. This data
will inform the final facility design and equipment list. I will
also work with Bolton & Hay (equipment specialists) to create a
detailed floor plan, equipment layout, and cost projections that
farmers can use when planning their own facilities.

By addressing the processing
gap, this project supports more farmers in adopting agroforestry
and perennial agriculture practices. Results will be shared through
a field day and presentations with written resources, and if funds
allow, an educational video, making the solution accessible to
growers across the North Central Region.

Objectives

This project aims to: (1)
conduct comprehensive market research to identify demand, pricing,
and viable product formats for elderberry and perennial crop
products; (2) assess regional farmer production volumes and
processing needs to determine feasibility of shared-use
infrastructure; (3) design a scalable processing facility,
including layout, equipment list, cost projections, and workflow
documentation; (4) test production methods using small-scale
processing runs to evaluate labor efficiency and product viability;
(5) develop an e-commerce and marketing strategy; and (6) share
findings through a field day, presentations and written educational
materials, and possibly a video, within the 23-month grant
period.