our products:     to order, click on a product below

Vermont Elderberry Project

making cuttings June 12, 2006
 

Charlotte is analyzing where to get cuttings; we would like to get 6” of new growth for the cuttings.	Ann Marie & Charlotte are placing the cuttings into the soil.	Julia & Bianca, teacher & student in the Walden Project, or is it the other way around?
Jeff has gathered water from the stream and is about to water the cuttings. Keeping them moist is important	Joe, bringing the skills of the land to the next generation and preparing plants for his school land at the Walden Project.	We use the cultivars Coomer and Berry Hill for the most effective cross pollination of the flowers. We alternated the planting of cultivars in the rows to support this pollination. The tags that identify the cultivars had weathered and had to be re-written.
Our crew after the work has been done. The Walden Project of Vergennes High School was a great help.		Joanne is carefully marking each elderberry cutting so that we could keep track of them.
The cuttings will spend the next 5- 6 weeks in Eric & Keenan’s organic certified greenhouse.	Jeff Carpenter, Zack Woods Herb Farm, brought “willow broth”, willow cuttings soaked in water as an organic root growing hormone. This will help the cuttings get established sooner.	Elderberry plants line the floor from one end of the greenhouse to the other. The plants are in a shady place on the floor and will get watered two times a day.

 

These plants will have taken root and be ready to be released on Saturday July 22 and will be available from 10 AM to 2 PM at the honey house on that day and weekdays after. Elderberry likes to be planted in moist soil areas and enjoys being on the edge of a field or lawn. It helps to mulch for retention of moisture in the earth and suppression of the weed competitors. Protection from the deer is important, especially in the early years. A plant will remain at its size for about a year, then start its dramatic growth, reaching a height of approximately 8 feet with four or so years. We thank Dean & Lida Douglas for all their generosity in providing land for the elderberry and bees, Lewis & Nancy Hill for their nurturing and selecting for these elderberries over the years, and Jeff and Melanie Carpenter for all of their help and for bringing the “willow broth”. Their farm is Zack Woods Herb Farm, an organic herb farm, located in central Vermont, focused on supplying people with the highest quality live, dry and fresh medicinal herbs. “We have over 35 different varieties of plants including goldenseal, nettle, Echinacea, St. Johns Wort, & Calendula. Our farm is dedicated to healing plants, people and the planet.” tel 802.888.7278 If a group wants to get together and order 60 or more plants, we will deliver in New England, New York State East of Syracuse and in NYC, $14/plant delivered.

$57.00 case of six - 8 fl. oz. bottles + shipping.
8 oz. bottles of elderberry, wild cherry, and/or Rejuvenation Tonic may be mixed,
specify in special instructions on order

elderberry cultivars, Coomer & Berry Hill, as selected by Lewis Hill over the years,
both of which are needed for best pollination and fruit set.

available again in July, 22 2006, only for pick up at the honey house, $24 for the two cultivars