you normally look for in a commercial crop,” she explained. Though large-scale demand for com- mercial production is lacking, Brodt said there is immediate potential from small elderberry businesses that source fresh, local products. Reneker is a case in point. She es- tablished Carmel Berry Co. to share American-sourced elderberry and el- derflower products to customers looking for artisanal superfoods. The majority of elderberry and elderflower products available in the U.S. are imported from Europe and sold dried. But Reneker sources fresh berries domestically and freezes them. “Elderberries taste a heck of a lot better when it comes fresh instead of dried,” Reneker said. “I believe food is our medicine, and healthy things should be delicious.” Small, round elderberries grow in compact clusters within large shrubs or hedges that can reach more than 6 feet tall. The berries taste like a potent, flavorful cross between a sweet, juicy blueberry and a tart pomegranate. Elderflowers are small, delicate white blooms that taste like “summer sun- shine,” Reneker noted. Reneker now purchases 8,000 pounds of elderberries and 20 pounds of dried Elderberries Continued from Page 7
Katie Reneker, left, has emerged as an advocate and mentor for elderberry farming in California. Her Carmel Berry Co., which partners with local farmers growing the native plant, markets elderflower products, below, including preserves, syrups, teas, vinegars and herbal supplements, to customers looking for artisanal superfoods. Currently, most elderberry and elderflower products available in the U.S. are imported from Europe. In California, the plant has mostly been used as a hedgerow for other crops.
flowers from American producers each year. These become Carmel Berry pre- serves, syrups, teas, balsamic vinegars and liquid herbal supplements. They are sold in specialty grocery stores, includ- ing Whole Foods in Northern California, Market of Choice in Oregon and Erewhon
in Southern California. But the prod- ucts all come from elderberries sourced outside the West Coast, which presents Reneker’s next ambitious goal. After she said goodbye to the 3 acres in Greenfield, Reneker set out to uncover the possibilities for native elderberries here in California. A former teacher, Reneker transitioned to a role collabo- rating with advocates, mentors and re- searchers such as UC’s Brodt to advance studies and awareness of the native West Coast blue elderberry, or Sambucus caerulea. More than 300 people participated in online workshops held by Reneker during the COVID-19 pandemic, and more workshops are being scheduled. Reneker also independently funds $500 microgrants to fund projects such as fencing or irrigation for growers inter- ested in diversifying with elderberries. Carmel Berry has given away $12,000 in microgrants so far. Brodt said she does not envision elder- berry growth as endless rows of plants grown in a commercial operation but rather a creative, “multi-objective” solu- tion. She said the plant may hold the potential for providing direct income to
small- and medium-size farms and ben- efiting the ecosystem. Native elderberry hedgerows provide habitat for diverse wildlife and efficiently store carbon within its dense interior, ac- cording to the UC Agriculture and Natural Resources website. Brodt said these plants offer an “adaptation advantage” in a changing climate, growing in various elevations and a range of temperatures. “We know there is not enough hedge- row planting in general, whether it is elderberry or other native plants,” Brodt said. She mentioned California Department of Food and Agriculture grants as possible funding sources for planting hedgerows. Reneker said she sees continued col- laboration as the key to establishing a prosperous future for the blue elderberry. “We’re still really on the frontier of grow- ing elderberries commercially on the West Coast. It makes no sense for all of us to re- invent the wheel individually,” Reneker said. “I love to work with farmers willing to diversify and grow something new.” (Caitlin Fillmore is a reporter in Monterey County. She may be contacted at cslfillmore@gmail.com.)
Seats open on organic panel
The California Department of Food and Agriculture is seeking to fill vacan- cies on the California Organic Products Advisory Committee. The panel advises the CDFA secretary on topics related to the California State Organic Program, or SOP. Current advisory committee vacan- cies include: producer representative; wholesale distributor representative; processor representative; environmental representative; technical representative;
consumer representative; producer representative alternate; wholesale dis- tributor representative alternate; pro- cessor representative alternate; retail representative alternate; environmental representative alternate; technical repre- sentative alternate; consumer represen- tative alternate; and accredited certifier representative alternate. To be considered for an appointment, complete the questionaire at cdfa. ca.gov/is/organicprogram/pdfs/copac/ COPAC-PMAQ.pdf.
8 Ag Alert March 8, 2023
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