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.