Respect your elders

People plant trees for many reasons - shade, beauty or a crop, but fly protection is rarely one of them.

When we built our solar passive home along Spring Range Road, past Hall village, close to 30 years ago, we were advised by some wise old gardeners to plant an elderberry tree close to our front door, as a way of keeping the number of flies down around the homestead.

We followed this advice and now we have a well-established elder tree which produces beautiful white flowers in late October and November. I am sure it's a black elder, Sambacus nigra, because its spreading branches bear the star-shaped, creamy white flowers and the fruit is purplish black. It produces large clusters of dark purple elderberries in early February.

Elder trees are hardy. The branches are long, thin and willowy, the name elder coming from the old Saxon ''ellaern'', meaning fire, because the hollow branches when dry were good for making fires in the damp valleys of England.

Elder trees can be reproduced by taking cuttings in summer of semi-hardwood from the current year's growth or by digging out new season shoots in late autumn and planting in a nursery bed over winter.

It's one of very few plants where both the flower and the berry have several uses. Remember to cook the berry as it is very tart, and the seeds are poisonous before cooking (similar to potatoes).

At the farmers' markets you find people who know what to do with just about anything a farmer can grow. Until this year, the exception for us was elderberries, which have been an intriguing mystery to many at the markets.

Elderberries make a splendid summer drink, and this summer, we have been visited by nutritionists and herbalists who know the value of this berry.

Cordial can be made with elderflowers or elderberries. For elderflowers, pick the flowers when they are in full bloom, in late spring. Add lemon juice and a small quantity of apple cider vinegar. Elderflower water is a good tonic for the skin and a gargle made from elderberry infusion has been used for many years to alleviate sore throats.

For elderberry conserve, boil berries in a small amount of water, then sieve, reserving the liquid. Boil the liquid with an equal quantity of sugar until it thickens. Check the consistency by placing a teaspoonful onto a saucer and putting it in the freezer for two to three minutes - it should set. A couple of tablespoons is a natural remedy to help with neuralgia and migraine.

Elderberry cordial

Elderberry cordial is very refreshing in summer with sparkling mineral water or soda. In winter, the cordial can be a relief for coughs and colds.

ripe elderberries

sugar

cloves

Pick several bunches of ripe elderberries. Use a fork to remove the berries from their stalks and place the elderberries in a saucepan with just enough water to cover. Simmer for 20 minutes then strain the juice through muslin (or a cotton cloth bag).

For each 500ml of elder juice, add 250 grams of sugar and 12 cloves and boil for a further 10 minutes.

Allow to cool then bottle in sterilised glass bottles. Add an extra clove to each bottle, then seal well. The cordial will last up to two years.

This Week

■ Plant one or two rows of loose-leaf lettuces, silverbeet, bush beans and baby carrots to produce crops before the late autumn frosts.

■ Plant parsnips for a winter harvest. You can still plant out brassica seedlings, to get them well established before the cold nights arrive.

■ Apply a late summer round of fertiliser to your citrus trees, if possible with a poultry manure base, ensuring that you leave some space between the trunk and the fertiliser. Clean out weeds that are growing close to the trees and cover with mulch.

■ Turn over your compost heaps to speed up composting. Add water if the heap is dry and mix in additional food scraps, cut grass and available animal manures.

■ Enjoy the moments when you pick off your ripe fruits and vegetables, knowing that you have maintained a long and noble tradition of growing healthy, delicious, homegrown produce.

>>Owen Pidgeon runs the Loriendale Organic Orchard near Hall.