In such a time as this, I thought it at a good call to make a big batch of elderberry syrup.
We take 1 tablespoon of elderberry syrup daily to boost our immunity & it’s a fraction of the cost when you make your own.
I know there are many local options for purchasing dried elderberries (I would love to grow our own elderberries – it’s on our list for next season!), but I most recently purchased a big bag from Amazon. Here’s the link – 1lb will last you quite awhile!
I made a couple of quarts of syrup & divided them into smaller jars with plastic lids for freezing. I’ve even seen folks freeze extra elderberry syrup in ice cube trays & then store the cubes in freezer baggies, which I will definitely try once I get my hands on some trays.
Here’s my go-to recipe. Let me know what you think!
Homemade Elderberry Syrup
Serving size: 1 tsp for children & 1 tbsp for adults daily
Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups water
2/3 cups dried elderberries
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 cup raw, local honey
Directions:
1. Add all ingredients to a medium-sized sauce pan except honey.
2. Bring to a boil. Cover & reduce to a simmer for 45 minutes until liquid has reduced by half.
3. Remove from heat & allow to cool.
4. Once you’re able to handle the heat of the liquid & pot, use the back of a wooden spoon to crush the elderberries.
5. Pour through a strainer into a bowl.
6. Discard elderberries & allow syrup to completely cool.
7. Once cool (honey will not mix as well in warm liquid), add in honey & stir well.
8. Once mixed, pour syrup into mason jar or freeze in ice cube trays.
Elderberry syrup will last up to three months stored in a tight-fitting lid mason jar in the fridge. Shake well before using because honey will settle at the bottom. Enjoy!
love,
natalie
Friends, I am absolutely giddy to share our Yoderbilt greenhouse with you! After the last incredibly hard few weeks of navigating COVID-19 both personally & within our business, this beautiful space has served as such a refuge.
If you haven’t yet heard of Yoderbilt, they are an amazing Arkansas-based small business that designs & constructs greenhouses for backyard gardeners, small farmers & more!
Working with Yoderbilt is an absolute dream. You can custom design nearly every feature of your greenhouse from the size to the stain color of the wood. You can also add electricity along with custom shelves & tables built inside.
The greenhouse arrives fully assembled & is put in place using small machinery. Once it arrives, you can immediately get to work!
Our twin-wall polycarbonate greenhouse is 12ftx16ft with Yoder Gray stain. We added the electricity package & had custom shelves built inside. It is placed on the side of our garden, which we plan to double in size & wrap around the greenhouse this year.
We have so many plans for this space as time & money allow. We hope to add an outdoor washing station on the back along with raised herb beds on the side. I cannot wait to add large pots of blooming bushes in the front along with pea gravel & a small table with chairs for sitting. I’d also love to add a beehive or two, but Luke’s not yet convinced, ha!
I have slowly begun to transform the inside of our greenhouse with what we already had on hand along with a couple of new additions. We want this space to be a practical place to start seeds & grow plants, but we also want it to be an inviting space we enjoy spending time in.
I gathered all of my terra cotta pots & garden hand tools that were stored in our shed & now they’re conveniently displayed & ready for use. I purchased this hook rack, which works wonderfully for hanging tools, brooms & more.
I also brought my lime tree inside the greenhouse & plan to add many more fruit trees later this season! Can you imagine enjoying limes & lemons this winter? I am so excited!
In addition, Luke setup wifi along with a bluetooth speaker & I added a desk to the corner so that I can utilize the greenhouse as a second office! It’s really such a delight to check off computer work & answer emails to the sound of birds & the views of the garden just outside.
We also hung edison bulb string lights from the rafters. You can purchase similar lights here. There are light fixtures included, but we love the ambiance of twinkle lights as we work.
This space is, of course, the perfect spot for planning our garden & starting seeds. This past weekend, we spent time planning out where we want each crop to go (we’re growing quite a few varieties of seeds for my sister-in-law’s wedding this October! So exciting!) & starting early summer seeds.
If you have never started seeds indoors, here is a step-by-step guide that Luke created last year. We have always made do, starting seeds from our kitchen table & transporting them to a makeshift shelf with grow lights near our sliding glass door. Our Yoderbilt greenhouse is such an upgrade & the built-in slatted shelves are the perfect size for the trays.
I cannot wait to share more with you as we grow within & add to this space!
If you are interested in purchasing your very own Yoderbilt greenhouse, they are currently delivering within 250 miles of their manufacturing location in Mansfield, Arkansas. For more information, you can visit their website here. Mention “Natalie Creates” & receive two FREE 8ft shelves with your greenhouse purchase (a $200 value)!
*Please note this greenhouse was gifted to our family by Yoderbilt in order to promote gardening, homesteading & year-round growing/harvesting within greenhouses. All opinions & thoughts are my own.
love,
natalie
