Peach and Nectarine Varieties for Northern Climates
​Peaches and nectarines are native to China but were introduced to Florida by the Spanish in the 1500s. Peaches and nectarines belong to the Prunus genus, the same as plums and apricots. The scientific name (genus and species) of the peach is Prunus persica, while nectarines are derived from a natural mutation in peaches that allows them to grow without the fuzz found on peaches. Nectarines, therefore, have the same scientific genus and species name as peaches. Although peaches and nectarines grow best in warm climates, several peach varieties are suitable for growing in zone 4, where I live. However, I have yet to find a nectarine ideal for growing in zone 4. Most peaches and nectarines are self-pollinating and therefore do not need another nearby tree to produce fruit. There are a few peach varieties that do recommend a pollinator. Because nectarines lack the fuzz that peaches have, they are more susceptible to disease and insect predation. The fuzz acts as a protective barrier for peaches. Therefore, nectarine trees may need more fungicide and insecticide sprays than peach trees.
Special Note: Peaches and nectarines can have yellow or white flesh. It has been found that white-fleshed varieties are lower in acid (higher pH) than the yellow-fleshed varieties and therefore should not be canned due to the increased risk of botulism. See the NCHFP site on canning peaches for more information. Peaches
Nectarines
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Apricot Varieties for Northern Climates
​Apricots, like plums and peaches, belong to the Prunus genus; however, they are a different species, Prunus armeniaca. If you are interested in plum-apricot crosses that are more plum-like, please see my post on Plums for Northern Climates. Here, I will list apricots only as Apriums®, which are plum-apricot crosses that are more apricot-like and are better suited to warm climates, usually zone 7 and higher. Apricots are native to China (near the Russian border) and were cultivated there for thousands of years. Apricots likely arrived in the United States via the East and West coasts, and they are now mostly cultivated commercially in California. There are a few varieties that are hardy to zones 3 and 4, but most grow best in zones 5-9.
We have not had the best luck growing apricots in Central Wisconsin (zone 4), perhaps partly because Apricots do not like wet feet or humid conditions, and are prone to fungal diseases, and most of our land is wet, consisting of two ponds and a marsh. We have tried two varieties, Goldcot and Moorpark, and neither survived more than a year. We also struggled to establish peach trees, but now have three different varieties that have survived two years or more and have even harvested a few peaches. To be fair to the apricots, one was purchased from a company that did not ship at the correct time, and in general, I found their other trees to be weak and unlikely to thrive. I do plan to try new varieties of Apricots to see if we have better luck and also plan to plant them on the only hill we have on our land, which should provide better drainage.
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Plum jelly made from Toka or Bubblegum plums.
Plum Varieties for Northern Climates
​Plum trees belong to the Prunus genus, as do other common fruits and nuts, including cherries, peaches, and almonds. There are three main types of domesticated plums available in the United States: European plums (Prunus domestica), Asian or Japanese plums (Prunus salicina), and crosses, such as the cherry plum, Asian and cherry plum crosses, plum and apricot (Prunus armeniaca) crosses, or European or Asian plums crossed with the wild American plum. The United States and Canada have native plum trees as well, the American or wild plum (Prunus americana) and the Canada or black plum (Prunus nigra). Both produce small, edible fruit and grow as small trees or large shrubs. Although the native plums are commonly known as American (zones 3-8) or Canada plums, they can both be found in the United States and Canada. There is one domesticated Canada plum available, known as Bounty Nigra plum. This tree produces small reddish clingstone plums with yellow flesh. This fruit is good for jams, tarts, fresh eating, chutneys, or infusing alcohol.
​Below, I give a brief description of the different types of plum trees and a chart of the most common varieties of each type, all of which are cold-hardy (most will grow in zones 4 or 5, but there are even a few that will grow in zone 3). Most of these plums also grow as far south as zones 8 or 9. Please note that many characteristics on the chart vary depending on the rootstock the tree is grafted onto, the weather conditions that year, or even microclimates within your zone. There are also many other possible pollinators than those listed. Cummins Nursery is a great resource to check for other pollination partners, as they have a very comprehensive list for each plum variety. If you have a favorite cold-hardy plum that is not on this list, please send me a message so I can add it. These charts are not comprehensive, as there are over 2,000 varieties of plums; therefore, I chose ones that are commonly available at several different nurseries.
European Plums
European plums (Prunus domestica), as their name suggests, originally came from Europe. They can be yellow, blue, or green in color with firm flesh. European plums tend to ripen in late summer. Many European plums are self-fertile but will set more fruit with a nearby pollinator tree. European plums need another European plum for pollination and will not cross-pollinate with an Asian plum. European plum trees generally grow to about 15 feet tall. European plums tend to be more cold-hardy than Asian plums.
Asian Plums
Asian plums (Prunus salicina) are native to China, Japan, and Korea, and tend to be juicy, as they were designed for use in plum wine and plum sauce, which are common in Asian cultures. They were introduced into the United States via Japan in the late 1800s, and many were crossed by plant breeder Luther Burbank, including wild American plums (discussed in the “Plum Crossesâ€
Wireworms and Their Control Wireworms collected from potato traps, ready for the chickens. What are Wireworms?Wireworms are the larval form of click beetles (Elateridae family) and look like a thinner version of a mealworm. It is their slender size that gives them the common name of “wireworm.” Click beetles are typically black or brown and are recognized by the distinctive “click” sound they produce when they flip over from a position on their backs. Adult click beetles are herbivores, but they rarely cause issues with feeding. Wireworms, however, live in the soil and can cause agricultural damage. Some species can persist in the soil for up to 6 years until they transform into adult beetles. Wireworms are red-orange-brown in color with a hard, shell-like coat. Some wireworm species feed on seeds, cotyledons, seedlings, roots, and the underground stem portion of a plant, and can cause harm or even kill plants, particularly small seedlings. They also bore into and eat potatoes, garlic, beets, carrots, and other root vegetables, making them unpalatable, reducing storage time, and/or causing them to rot. How do You Know you have a Wireworm Problem I began to notice that my young brassica plants would occasionally wilt and die suddenly. When I pulled up the plants, there were almost always one or more wireworms feeding on the roots. Eventually, I started noticing I had garlic plants that were yellow and stunted. Again, when I pulled them up, there were usually wireworms feeding on the bulbs. Wireworms can also cause decreased seed germination if they feed on the seeds before they can emerge. If you till your garden, you can also keep an eye out for wireworms. We only till once or twice a year, but our ducks have learned to recognize the sound of the tiller, and they follow behind it, gobbling up all the bugs they can find. Another option to determine if you have wireworms is to set traps, generally made with a chunk of potato or a handful of seeds. I use the potato traps and will describe them in more detail below. Wireworm PreventionAdult click beetles like to lay eggs in the soil of weedy or grassy areas in fields and gardens. Once hatched, the larvae burrow further into the soil to feed on seeds, roots, and other organic matter. If you have recently turned over sod to make a garden area, you will likely have a higher number of wireworms. If possible, let the soil rest for a year before planting. Eliminate as many grassy and weedy areas in your garden as possible to reduce the number of eggs laid by these pests. Since our garden is part of our fenced-in orchard and vineyard, we have lots of grass for the click beetles to propagate, which may partially explain why we have a wireworm problem. Also, make sure your soil drains well, as wireworms thrive in damp soil (at least in Wisconsin). In other areas that receive less rain, different species are adapted to drier soil. However, my biggest problems with wireworms occur in my raised beds, which, for the most part, drain very well. Last summer, 2024, we received massive amounts of rain, which may explain why I have been trapping so many wireworms this year, even after having trapped hundreds of them last year. Update: once again in 2025 we received above average rainfall in the spring and early summer and once again I trapped hundreds of wireworms. Another way to reduce wireworm damage to seeds is to not plant too early. Many people, especially in our short growing season in zone 4 Wisconsin, including myself, often plant as soon as the daytime and nighttime temperatures warm up. However, for seed germination, it is the soil temperature that matters. If the soil is too cold, seeds take longer to germinate and get established, which gives the wireworms more time to find and eat the seeds.  Wireworm potato traps (orange flags) in a raised bed. Wireworm ControlMost plants are less susceptible to wireworm damage once they are larger and out of the seedling stage, so it is best to start wireworm control early in the spring. The exception to this is root crops, which are susceptible throughout the growing season. So, if you do have a wireworm problem, what are your options to control them? Commercial farms sometimes use insecticide drenches to treat the soil. If you do this, you must treat early, before planting. Even though I use pesticides sparingly, when needed (to treat invasive buckthorn and prevent fungal diseases on my fruit trees and grapes), soaking my soil with insecticide before planting is not something I am comfortable with. My go-to method is to use potato traps. I cut potatoes into about 2-inch chunks and then place a wooden skewer (like those used for grilling) into the potato with flagging tape tied around the top of the skewer. I bury these potatoes about 2-4 inches deep into each of my raised beds (~6/bed). Every few days to a week, I check the traps and remove any wireworms that have burrowed into the potato (then I feed them to my chickens). This method is very effective in trapping wireworms, but it is also very labor-intensive since I have so many raised beds (18 right now). I do not even bother trying to put traps into my in-ground garden, as this would increase my labor significantly. Ideally, traps should be placed before you plant. I did not place traps last fall or early enough this spring, and I have already lost many garlic plants to wireworms this year. Interestingly, the wireworms much prefer my “Chesnok Red” garlic over my more robust “Music” garlic, so I will probably only grow “Music” from now on. Another option to control wireworms is to use beneficial nematodes, which kill the wireworm larvae. Nematodes are microscopic roundworms that evolved naturally to kill various insects. Specific species of nematodes have been selected to target specific agricultural insect pests. The advantage of this method is that once they are applied, the nematodes continue to work throughout the growing season and over time, can dramatically reduce the wireworm load in your garden. The disadvantage for me is that they are relatively expensive. Since I have a huge area that I would ideally treat (my fenced-in garden area, including the orchard and vineyard, is 40,000 square feet) it would cost me roughly $700. If I treat only my raised beds, this is much more affordable at approximately $50, but this leaves many wireworms outside the treated area, including my in-ground garden, which will turn into adults that can move around and lay more eggs. I have treated just my raised beds in the past, which may or may not have been effective (likely due to lack of rain and not enough watering). Another disadvantage of nematodes is that you have to water the area to be treated before you apply them, you then apply the nematodes with water, and then you water the area again, after you apply them. Ideally, the area should stay moist for a couple of weeks after you apply them to help the nematodes burrow into the soil more easily. One year, when we tried nematodes, we had a drought year and probably did not keep the area moist enough for them to be effective (watering the garden that year also wore out our well pump, which ended up getting replaced that summer). The last disadvantage for those in northern climates is that the nematodes do not overwinter well, so ideally, you would treat every spring for optimal control. Even with all of these limitations, I am a huge fan of beneficial nematodes IF you have a small garden and can keep it well-watered until they are established. Nematodes are an organic, natural control option for those unwilling to use more traditional chemical methods of control. Although this method is labor-intensive to start, it continues to work all summer long, which will likely save time compared to potato traps. Other ideas that can help reduce wireworm pressure include tilling the soil in the fall (and again in the spring) to expose wireworms to predators such as wild birds (or in our case, domesticated ducks). You can also try crop rotation, such as not planting root crops in the same garden bed each year or leaving a garden bed fallow for a year (while still keeping it weeded).  Wireworms burrowed into a potato trap, ready to collect. References and Resources
Pear Varieties for Northern Climates
There are three types of pear trees: European pears, Asian pears, and Perry (pear cider) pears. Most pear trees are not self-pollinating. They usually require two varieties that flower simultaneously for pollination to occur. Asian pears can pollinate European pears and vice versa, assuming they flower simultaneously. There are some self-pollinating pear tree varieties, but they will benefit from a pollinator and produce more fruit than if planted alone. Given below is a brief description of the different types of pear trees and a chart of the most common varieties of each type. Many characteristics can vary depending on the rootstock the tree is grafted onto, the weather conditions that year, or even microclimates within your zone. There are often many other possible pollinators than those listed. Cummins Nursery and Keepers Nursery are both great resources to check for pollination partners. If you have a favorite cold-hardy pear that is not on this list, please send me a message so I can add it. These charts are not comprehensive, as there are over 3,000 varieties of pears; therefore, I chose ones that are commonly available at several different nurseries.
European Pears
​European pears are the most common type of pear in the United States. They are native to Europe and Asia and are classically “pear-shapedâ€
How to Grow Parsnips ParsnipsParsnips, Pastinaca sativa, belong to the Apiaceae family of plants, which includes other commonly grown vegetables and herbs such as carrots, celery, anise, coriander, dill, fennel, lovage, parsley, angelica, caraway, cumin, and more. The Pastinaca genus includes 13 other species of plants, but the parsnip is the most well-known. Parsnips resemble white carrots but often grow bigger, although they can get woody if allowed to grow too big. Like carrots, parsnips become sweeter following a few weeks of cold temperatures, and most people prefer them this way. Parsnips are very cold-hardy, and I have harvested parsnips that were overwintered in central Wisconsin, zone 4, that were still delicious. In rare cases, parsnip foliage can cause a rash, sometimes severe, due to its phototoxicity, so it is recommended to wear long sleeves, long pants, and gloves, particularly on sunny days, and wash after any contact with the leaves. Parsnips are biennial, meaning they will set seed in their second year of growth after overwintering for a season. Unless you are saving seeds, you would grow them like an annual or harvest them in early spring of the following year, before they produce seeds. Parsnips are often roasted or steamed and served with butter. They can also be mashed and served like mashed potatoes or mixed with potatoes. My favorite way to eat parsnips is roasted with other root vegetables and served with balsamic vinegar drizzled over them. Parsnips have a sweet, nutty flavor and are higher in fiber and lower in carbohydrates than potatoes. Parsnip VarietiesI have grown “Hollow Crown” parsnips for years, an open-pollinated, heirloom variety. Except for one year when root rot took over, likely caused by a fungus that causes parsnip canker, I have had great success with this variety. In the summer of 2024, we had record-breaking rains, but since I grew my parsnips in raised beds, the water drained well and I had the biggest parsnips I had ever grown, some reaching 4 inches or more across at the top of their root, which honestly made them a little woody. This year I am trying the “Harris Model” parsnip variety, also open-pollinated, in addition to “Hollow Crown”. “White Spear” and “Andover” are two more open-pollinated varieties that are commonly available. Parsnips have mostly performed well for me in the garden, so I have never felt the need to try hybrid varieties but F1 hybrid options include “Albion”, “Dagger”, “Javelin”, “Panorama”, and “Warrior”. “Warrior” has some resistance to canker and “Javelin” has high resistance, so they are good varieties if you consistently have root rot in your parsnips.  "Hollow Crown" variety of parsnip. How to Grow ParsnipsParsnips require a long growing season; many varieties take up to 120 days. However, they store extremely well either in the ground over winter or in the refrigerator. Parsnip seeds can be difficult to germinate, and it is recommended to soak seeds for 24 hours before sowing. Be sure to keep the soil moist until germination occurs, which can take up to 4 weeks. Parsnip seeds are one of the few types of seeds that do not maintain their germination ability for long so it is recommended that you buy new seeds every year. Once germinated, thinning and weeding are recommended but otherwise, they are very low maintenance. Weeding is also minimal once the foliage grows and shades the area. Like carrots, parsnips require loose soil without rocks or hard clumps of soil, as these can cause forking in the roots. They prefer full sun but can tolerate some shade. I prefer to plant my parsnips in a raised bed to provide a deep, loose, fertile soil in which to grow them. Ideally, you should work the soil to a depth of 2 feet, but I generally do not get any deeper than 12 inches. Although you want fertile soil, you do not want too much nitrogen, or the plants will focus on vegetative growth (the tops will grow too much) and not grow very big roots. Although parsnips can tolerate cold weather the seeds will germinate best if the soil is at least 50-60°F. A cheap soil thermometer is very helpful when deciding when to plant spring crops. Plant the seeds about ½ inch deep and keep them moist until germination occurs (this can take a long time, up to a month!). You can also soak the seeds in water overnight or up to 24 hours before planting to increase germination speed. The recommendation is to plant parsnips in rows, 18-24 inches apart but in my raised beds I grow plants in blocks. I thin my parsnips to 2-4 inches apart (clipping them with scissors is preferable to pulling), and if the soil is fertile enough, I get very large roots, even with close spacing and no rows. Reduce watering as you approach harvest to prevent root cracking and splitting. In the summer of 2024, we had massive amounts of rain, and although the roots grew the largest I have ever seen, they also split more than usual. Ideally, harvest after at least a couple of weeks of cold weather for optimal flavor. You can also mulch well to overwinter the roots. If you do overwinter, you will want to harvest early before new growth starts and they go to seed, making the roots woody. References and Resources
Elderberry Wine Finished elderberry wine is more red than traditional grape wine. ElderberriesTwo different species of elderberries are native to the United States. It is the black elderberry (Sambucus nigra), which is edible and used to make wine. Elderberries are large bushes that are easy to grow. If you do not have room to grow elderberries, you can buy them, usually dried. If you would like to learn more about elderberries, please see my previous article. Elderberry WineElderberry wine is one of the few fruit wines that is as good as wine made from grapes. Although I have made wine from other fruits, and they can be great for everyday consumption, most fruits do not make amazing wine. Although this is a fairly straightforward recipe, if you are new to fermenting, I recommend checking out my blog post on “The Basics of Fermenting Wine,” and feel free to message me with any questions. Steam Juicing ElderberriesThe first step in making fruit wine is to break open the fruit to release the juice for fermentation. Softer fruit is relatively easy to crush with a handheld potato masher, wooden spoon, or even a sauerkraut pounder. More firm fruit like apples or Aronia berries or very tiny fruit like elderberries can be difficult to crush. In these cases, I often use a steam juicer to heat the berries, which breaks open the fruit and releases the juice. This also releases the color from the skins into the juice so when you ferment there is no need to worry about punching down the skins to get good color extraction. I also like to cook elderberries to inactivate the residual cyanogenic glycoside in the berries. However, many people do not cook elderberries before fermenting them. Ripe elderberries have fewer toxic compounds than unripe berries, so if you choose not to heat your elderberries make sure you get out as many unripe berries and stem pieces as possible. If you do not want to heat your elderberries but instead ferment them raw, you can freeze-thaw them, which will help break open the berries to release the juice. To steam juice, you add the fruit to the top colander-type compartment. Add water to the bottom of the juicer and start heating the fruit. Once the fruit softens and starts releasing the juice, it will flow into the middle compartment of the juicer and out of the attached tube. I collect the juice in half-gallon jars. Most juicing takes 1-2 hours to complete. Ensure that water remains in the bottom pan the entire time to avoid warping the pan. Stirring or pressing the fruit is not recommended since it can add small amounts of pulp or seeds to the juice, making it cloudy. If I plan to ferment the juice into wine, I do not care about cloudy juice since it will be clarified as it ages. Therefore, I usually stir the pulp or scoop it out, mix the pulp with a little water, and crush it with a potato masher or spoon a second time to release more color and juice. I then add the pulp and water back to the top of the juicer and let the steam extract a little more juice. This will add water to the juice, but I usually add a little water to my fruit wines anyway. The general rule of thumb is 3-5 pounds of fruit per gallon of wine, although there is nothing wrong with using 100% juice, as it will make a more flavorful wine. Once you have extracted as much juice as possible, let the juice cool (I put the jar in cool water in the sink to cool it down faster, being careful not to crack the jar) before starting your fermentation. You can also refrigerate or freeze the juice to ferment later. Elderberries before removing stems (left), elderberries after cleaning (center), and elderberry-Marquette grape juice ready to ferment (right). Making Elderberry Wine In the fall of 2024, we juiced almost 15 pounds of elderberries and collected nearly 2 gallons of juice. We used the juice to make a 3-gallon batch of wine. The starting pH was 4.15 and Brix (percent sugar) was 5.8. I added sugar (~1 gram of sugar per 100 grams of juice will raise the Brix by 1%) to get a final Brix of 23.4 which should give an alcohol content of ~12.8% (multiply the Brix by 0.55 to get a rough alcohol percentage). I also adjusted the pH to 3.51 which is more in line with red wine (pH of 3.3-3.6 is recommended). A lower pH will increase the wine's stability and storage time. The total acidity (TA) measured 6.0 g/L. My recipe is below:
I did not add a Campden tablet since the juice was sterilized from steam juicing, but if you add one, wait 24 hours before pitching your yeast. I used Lalvin Bourgovin RC212 yeast, which works well for me. This yeast is typically used to ferment red wines, has an alcohol tolerance of up to 16%, and ferments at 64°-86°F. Other yeast options include Red Star Premier Rouge (64°-86°F; 14% alcohol tolerance) or Lalvin EC-1118 (50°-86°F; 18% alcohol tolerance). I fermented the juice in a 5-gallon bucket with an airlock. The airlock started bubbling the next day and continued to bubble for about 2 weeks, indicating fermentation was occurring. If you do not see bubbling, it is likely that there is a leak in your lid, if you see bubbles rise to the surface when stirring the wine, fermentation is likely occurring. After a few days, I added Fermaid O nutrient to boost fermentation. When fermentation slowed, I racked the wine into a 3-gallon glass carboy. The pH was 3.45. After racking, I added 1.5 Campden tablets. I racked again a month later. The pH was 3.56, the TA was 8.5 g/L, and the sulfites were low, so I added 2 more Campden tablets. I also added 50 grams of medium toast French oak cubes. The recommendation from the oak cube manufacturer is to oak for 3-4 months. I will rack approximately every three months and bottle after about 1 year. In previous years, my elderberry wine had a floral aroma, similar to elderflower liqueur. This year I changed the fermentation ingredients and once the aging is complete, I hope to compare my 2023 wine with my 2024 wine to see if the changes improved the wine and also see how both batches age over time. In 2023 I used plain pectic enzyme instead of Lallzyme EX, I used a generic yeast nutrient instead of the GoFerm Protect Evolution, and I did not add extra nutrients a few days into the ferment. This was also the first year I used OptiRed and FT Rouge.  Our finished elderberry wine from 2023. ConclusionElderberry wine is one of the best wines I have made. Our 2023 vintage is still young, so I hope it will continue to improve with age. It does benefit to open it about an hour before drinking to let it breathe. I will continue to update this post as I follow both the 2023 and 2024 vintages and future vintages over time. Elderberries Our chickens enjoy hanging out under the elderberry bushes in the summer. These elderberry bushes were planted naturally by wild birds that roost in the spruce trees (not shown) behind the bushes. There are two elderberry species (Sambucus genus) native to the United States, although there are at least 20 species worldwide plus various subspecies. Sambucus racemosa or the red elderberry is found throughout most of the United States and Canada. However, it is absent or rare in many southern states (grows in zones 3-7) from Texas to Florida, extending north into Nebraska in the west and South Carolina in the east (see BONAP map). Sambucus nigra or the black elderberry is found throughout the United States (except for Alaska) and much of Canada (see BONAP map) and grows in zones 3-9. S. nigra is also known as the common elderberry or S. canadensis, and some consider S. canadensis a subspecies of S. nigra. The elderberry is a fast-growing bush that grows 6-12 feet tall and can spread prolifically by seed due to birds eating the fruit. Elderberries prefer moist soil and often grow in edge habitat in full or partial shade. However, most elderberries are adaptable to full sun, and our best-producing black elderberry bush is in full sun but growing at the edge of our pond, so in very moist soil. The red elderberry plant, including stems, roots, leaves, seeds, and berries, is toxic. The berries may be edible when cooked, but I have read conflicting information about their edibility, and most sources agree they should not be eaten. Both red and black elderberries contain cyanogenic glycoside, which is metabolized, once ingested, into hydrogen cyanide. This can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. I suspect, although I have not been able to find a research paper that tested this, that red elderberries may contain higher levels of the cyanogenic glycosides or other toxic compounds, making them inedible. The color of the berries is the easiest way to differentiate the red elderberry from the more commonly eaten black elderberry. When ripe, red elderberries are red and black elderberries are dark purple/black. Where I live in central Wisconsin, zone 4, red elderberries ripen first while black elderberries do not ripen until August/September. Another way to differentiate the two plants is that the red elderberry inflorescence (flower cluster) tends to be more cone-shaped, leading to cone-shaped clusters of berries. The black elderberry inflorescence is flat and round, distinctly different from the red. The black elderberry plant is also toxic, including all green parts, the roots, seeds in the berries, and maybe the berries themselves. The amount of cyanogenic glycoside decreases significantly in the berries as they ripen (Appenteng et al.), so it is important to only eat ripe berries. Although many people report being able to eat the berries raw, it is best practice to cook the berries before consumption, which significantly inactivates the remaining compounds that cause toxicity. Elderberry UsesThe berries from the black elderberry plant are generally used to make syrups, jams, and wine, although canning jelly/jam must be done with caution due to them having a less acidic pH than was previously known. A recent study discovered that the average pH of elderberries is 4.92 with a range of 4.73-5.19, making them not safe for canning as was previously thought. The cutoff for canning low-acid fruits is 4.6, although most recipes are designed to measure significantly lower to account for variation in the ripeness (and hence acidity) of fruit. However, there is one recipe, tested by the University of Wisconsin Extension, which if followed exactly, can be used to make elderberry jelly or jam. Many people believe that black elderberries have medicinal properties. They do have high levels of anthocyanins, like Aronia berries, which are an antioxidant. They may also have anti-microbial, anti-viral, and anti-inflammatory properties, although few well-controlled research studies have been done, and most data is anecdotal.  Elderberries we collected the summer of 2024 to ferment into elderberry wine. One of the most popular uses for elderberries to to make wine. For wine, I have always used cooked berries because I use a steam juicer to easily extract the juice, rather than trying to mash the tiny berries. However, many wine recipes use raw berries, I assume this is safe because the seeds will drop out of solution during fermentation and when you rack the wine you will leave the seeds (the toxic part of the berry) behind. The process of fermentation may also neutralize the toxins. Although I prefer to use cooked berries to eliminate any possibility that the toxic compounds will leach out of the seeds or out of any contaminating stems (the stems that attach to each berry is fern-like and difficult to separate from the berries), I would like to ferment a non-cooked elderberry wine to compare the resulting wines. One disadvantage of cooking is that it can change the taste of the wine and release aromatic compounds that you may want to keep in the wine. That being said, my elderberry wine from cooked juice is delicious (see my blog post on making elderberry wine)! ConclusionWhether you want to make elderberry jam, syrup, or wine, or simply want to plant elderberries to provide food for birds and other native wildlife, I highly recommend planting a few of these native bushes. Although they can grow large for a bush, they can easily be pruned to keep them smaller. Once established, you can even cut them to the ground and they will re-sprout from the base of the trunk. References and Resources
Top Books on Lactic Acid FermentationLactic acid fermentation, also known as lacto-fermentation, is a widely used fermentation technique employed to produce various foods, including sauerkraut, kimchi, cheese, yogurt, kombucha, and others. Lactic acid fermentation uses mostly lactic acid bacteria, often wild, not cultured, unlike alcoholic fermentation, which uses yeast. For more information on lactic acid fermentation, please visit my previous blog post. Although you can get tons of information online, in blogs, Facebook groups, and more, I still enjoy having books on certain topics. The following two books are the top two I own on fermentation, although I have several more on my to-buy list that I have heard great things about. 1. The Noma Guide to Fermentation by René Redzepi & David Zilber This is a comprehensive guide to fermentation written by two chefs. René Redzepi is the co-owner of Noma, a Michelin-star restaurant in Copenhagen. David Zilber is the director of the fermentation lab at Noma. They cover common ferments such as lacto-fermented vegetables, kombucha, and vinegar, as well as less common ferments such as koji (rice or soybeans inoculated with a fungus, Aspergillus oryzae), miso (soybeans with koji), shoyu (soy sauce), and more. In addition to numerous recipes, this book also contains background and historical information about many ferments. This guide does not contain any dairy, meat, or bread ferments. 2. The Art of Fermentation by Sandor Ellix Katz The Art of Fermentation is another comprehensive guide to fermentation by Sandor Katz, a food writer and fermentation expert. This book covers the background and benefits of fermentation, typical lacto-ferments, and necessary equipment, but also alcoholic, milk, bread, and meat fermentation. The author also wrote a popular book, Wild Fermentation, which is on my to-buy list. Top Books on Growing FruitAlthough I am relatively new to growing fruit on my own property (almost 10 years), my grandfather and great-grandfather were fruit farmers in the mountains of north-central Pennsylvania. I did not help maintain the fruit trees and bushes, but I did help pick. From the time I could walk, I would pick raspberries (mostly) and also currants, cherries, apples, and peaches. Every other morning in the summer, my sisters and I would wake up at 6 am to bike to my grandfather's farm to pick fruit. My parents also maintained fruit trees, grapes, raspberries, and blackberries on our own relatively small 4-acre lot. At my first house, in a small lot outside New York City, we planted a few blueberry bushes, but only picked a couple of berries before we moved to central Wisconsin. Since moving, we have planted almost 30 fruit trees (we will go over 30 this spring), blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, honeyberries, cranberries, and lingonberries. I guess growing fruit is in my blood, and even though we struggle with pests and diseases, the first apple you bite into each fall makes it all worthwhile. 1. From Vines to Wines: The Complete Guide to Growing Grapes & Making Your Own Wine by Jeff Cox This is a good resource for growing grapes. However, it mostly focuses on the Vitis vinifera varieties, the classic wine varieties that grow in warmer zones (generally 6-9). This book does not cover the unique challenges of northern grape growers (like me in zone 4) when growing Vitis labrusca or hybrid varieties for wine. However, this is still a useful resource as it covers planning, trellising, pruning techniques, pest control, fertilization, and more. 2. The Fruit Gardener’s Bible: A Complete Guide to Growing Fruits and Nuts in the Home Garden by Lewis Hill and Leonard Perry The Fruit Gardener’s Bible is an all-in-one resource for growing many different types of fruits, including strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, grapes, apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, apricots, plums, cherries, and nuts. It even includes information about less common fruits such as elderberries, currants, gooseberries, and lingonberries. However, this book does not cover citrus fruits. I probably use this book the most to learn about pruning techniques for each type of fruit, but it also covers planting, fertilizing, pests, and more. |
AuthorIn 2016, my family and I moved from the New York City area to small town Wisconsin. Our move, this website and blog (and our previous Etsy store) is the result of our desire over the past several years to simplify our lives, increase our quality of life, reconnect with nature, and enjoy a more self-sufficient life. I grew up as a country kid in central Pennsylvania working on my grandfather's fruit farm and as a corn "de-tassler" at a local seed farm. My background is in biology where my love of nature originated. I am a former research scientist and professor and have now transitioned to a part-time stay-at-home mom, self-employed tutor, and small business owner. Thank you for taking the time to check out my site. Archives
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