❀ HALFWAY THROUGH OCTOBER · Folklaur Herbals Herb Club

❀ HALFWAY THROUGH OCTOBER

A little elderberry check-in. ᰍ

We’re about halfway through the month, so here’s a little reminder to spend some time with our Herb of the Month: Elderberry (Sambucus nigra).

How has your study been going? It doesn’t have to be strenuous.

If you have some dried elderberries, you could try making a decoction or syrup.

Take a closer look at the plant, explore its botanical features, or follow a little rabbit hole into its folklore and traditional uses.

If you don’t have any elderberry on hand, look up some photos, browse a book or see what you can find at your local library.

For those of us on Vancouver Island, Wise Elder Elderberry Farm in Cobble Hill is a great local resource for frozen elderberries!

I’m making elderberry syrup tonight! I’ve included the recipe in this month’s Premium resources, and I’m going to spice mine up with fresh ginger & star anise. I’ve also been enjoying a tea blend of elderflower, spearmint & nettle, which is lovely.

I want to spend some more time exploring the differences between elderberry and elderflower, their traditional uses, and the stories and folklore that have grown around this plant.

This is really what I hope Herb Club can be — not just collecting facts about plants, but actually spending time with them.

Honing that understanding that comes with experience.

And then bringing what we find back here to share with each other.

So if you’ve spent any time with elderberry or elderflower so far this month, tell us what you’ve noticed!

It can be one tiny thing.

All of it counts. ♡

What have you been exploring with elder this month? 𓆸

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❀ HALFWAY THROUGH OCTOBER