Pokey Creek Farm Elderberry Exploration

Pokey Creek Farm Elderberry Exploration

Summary

This project continues to make progress despite several setbacks. The 600 elderberries were planted and are getting established. Summer growth has been good to fair. A refrigeration unit was purchased for cold storage of berries upon harvest. The planned summer tour with university extension did not take place due to limited enrollment; however, other educational opportunities arose and the tour was rescheduled for summer 2013. The brochures are in development. Tours and brochures will focus on education and outreach on the potential for sustainable farming in mountain climates and value-added elderberry production and marketing.

Objectives/Performance Targets

•Sucessfully cultivate elderberries for a profitable, yet sustainable harvest

•Open up our operation for tours and workshops to educate interested parties

•Develop value-added elderberry products

Accomplishments/Milestones

The 600 elderberry plants (a mixture of the native variety, Sambucus caerulea, and Sambucus nigra) were planted in April 2012 with 8×8 foot spacing. Soil amendments were organic pelletized chicken manure, some peat moss and lime. A three-foot circle was cultivated for each plant and mulched with hay. Cover crops of oats and winter pea were planted between rows to keep ground covered at all times and will be worked in as green manures. The quality of seedlings (even though grown out for an additional six months by local native plant nursery) was not optimal. Growth has been sporadic; some plants did not survive, others survived but grew very little, and others grew by as much as 1.5 feet in the first year. Dead plants will be removed and transplanted with new elderberries next year.

A used cold storage unit was found locally and purchased at a good price. A shed was built to cover cooler unit.

Research has continued on marketing potential of the crop. In addition to the jelly that has good marketing potential, a local group has approached us about interest in doing an elderberry tea as a locally marketing product. Potential still exists with dry berries and flowers for herbal tinctures and marketing berries to a local winery in a nearby town. We still plan to connect with local university food science departments to explore opportunities for juice, sodas and/or juice concentrates.

The planned farm tour in August, promoted by Latah County Extension Educator, was canceled due to limited registration numbers. There were not enough people registered to pay the costs incurred to drive the two hours to our rural farm. We are still working closely with Extension, and we are planning an earlier tour in summer 2013. We are also working with Extension to develop new color brochures for our farm that describe our sustainable ‘mountain farming’ practices and our new elderberry project.

While the scheduled tour was canceled, we did host another tour and work day called a ‘crop mob.’ Twelve participants, community members and college students attended to help dig potatoes. In addition to harvesting potatoes, they learned about sustainable farming practices in cold climates and fixed a meal of the day’s harvest. We also hosted a University of Idaho student intern at the farm and hope to increase our mentoring of students learning to farm.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

Preliminary outcomes include increased skills in elderberry production and experience in producing and marketing a value-added product. Value-added products have been tested and small quantities are being marketed with initial success. A ‘crop mob’ and educational event resulted in participants gaining new skills and increased knowledge of sustainable vegetable production in cold mountain climates.

Collaborators: