Wisdom of the Elderberry Syrup launches

By Rose High Bear (Deg Hit’an Dine, Inupiaq), Founding Director 

Elderberry Wisdom Farm’s Winter TEK Interns have been offering Blue Elderberry Farm products to the public this winter. Renee, Chloe and I started first at the Salem Holiday Market in December and then a group, including Kaitlynn, Tetianna, Michelle and Jess have been traveling to open our booth at the Corvallis Winter Market starting in January. The response has been fulfilling for both our interns and customers. Enthusiasm has been high. 

Jess & Kait at the Blue Elderberry Farm Booth

The spring, summer, fall and winter cohorts have appreciated learning how to cultivate, harvest and market value added elderberry products which is now proving to be a promising microenterprise enterprise. Our interns report that they are learning a lot, including how to respect the plants, its plants and berries with prayers of gratitude; how to harvest ethically from our farm, native plant nursery and other sites in the valley; and how to produce syrup and salve so we can provide it to the increasingly health conscious consumers in our local community. 

We originally developed the feasibility study followed by the business, marketing and financial plan and have continued to revise it for the past several years. This has helped us through the multiple phases of becoming a sustainable cottage business. Our desire is to show our interns and our community that Native American herbalists can develop a business that has potential for success, and perhaps multi-generational prosperity for our families. 

EWF has been developing this social and economic development project since 2020 when Blue Elderberry Farm LLC was formed. There have been times when we wondered if we would be able to continue through all the stages of growth. We felt at times that we might not achieve success, but diligence and patience has helped us to see the project through its early stages, culminating in this winter’s launch at two local farmers marketplaces. 

If you’re interested in meeting our gifted interns and seeing our products, we welcome you to visit us at the Benton County Fairgrounds at 110 SW 53rd St. in Corvallis. We are at Booth 20 in Gerber Hall.  Beginning in March we’ll also be at the Salem Farmers Market on Saturdays 9 am to 2 pm at 865 Marion St. NE, Salem, located near the state capitol.

We have developed two products so far: Wisdom of the Elderberry Syrup and Wisdom of the Elderflower Healing Salve and plan to continue offering them through the cold and flu season. Perhaps we will continue into the spring and summer months since some consumers are asking us to provide them with native plants that we have been cultivating.