• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Deep Roots at Home

  • Home
  • About
  • Podcast
  • Shop
  • Blog
    • Alternative Medicine
    • Babies & Pregnancy
    • Beauty
    • Books & Booklists
    • Brain & Gut Health
    • Children At Home
    • COVID-19
    • Detoxing & TRS
    • DIY & Crafts
    • Education & Homeschool
    • Faith & Family
    • Feel-Good Stories
    • Flourishing Marriage
    • Flourishing Womanhood
    • Food & Recipes
    • Food Additives
    • Garden & Homestead
    • Healthy Living
    • Herbs & Remedies
    • Holidays
    • Homemaking
    • My Favorite Products
    • News & Alerts
    • Parental Rights
    • Pharma & Vaccines
    • Play, Toys, & Movies
    • Raising Daughters
    • Raising Sons
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About
  • Podcast
  • Shop
  • Popular Blog Topics
  • Alternative Medicine
  • Babies & Pregnancy
  • Beauty
  • Books & Booklists
  • Brain & Gut Health
  • Children at Home
  • COVID-19
  • Detoxing & TRS
  • DIY & Crafts
  • Education & Homeschool
  • Faith & Family
  • Feel-Good Stories
  • Flourishing Marriage
  • Flourishing Womanhood
  • Food & Recipes
  • Food Additives
  • Garden & Homestead
  • Healthy Living
  • Herbs & Remedies
  • Holidays
  • Homemaking
  • My Favorite Products
  • News And Alerts
  • Parenting / Parental Rights
  • Pharmaceutical Warnings
  • Play / Toys
  • Raising Daughters
  • Raising Sons
  • Popular This Week
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Growing Aronias, Elderberries, and Currants For Harvest

    14.8KViews Modified: Oct 23, 2022 · Published: Apr 20, 2012
    By Jacqueline 25 Comments

    Share1.7K
    Telegram
    Pin2.0K
    3.7K Shares

    Growing Aronias, Elderberries, and Currants For Harvest. All three beautiful fruits.

    Aronias (aka aroniaberries, chokecherries), elderberries, and red and black currants are superstars in the world of berries, and are even better nutritionally than blueberries. Their ORAC scores are some of the highest known. We grow these three berries because of their ease of cultivation but especially for their health benefits.

    Growing Aronias, Elderberries, and Currants

    First, Aronias

    All three kinds of fruiting bushes thrive in most parts of the US.

    Aroniaberry in blossom and in fruit:

    aronia berry flowers

    Fox News Health tells us that, “Specific agents in aronias are anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-diabetic. They fight the formation of arterial plaque and lower serum cholesterol, and they protect the liver against a host of insults and toxins. In our ever-increasingly diabetic society, aronia’s compounds help to lower blood sugar and improve the body’s own natural production of insulin.”

    The Aroniaberry contains a powerful natural blend of polyphenolic antioxidants. Antioxidants are important because they combat free radicals in our body that are created from daily living, stress, environmental pollution, medical x-rays and even exercise. Free radicals can damage cells which can lead to health problems. Consuming foods high in antioxidants like the Aroniaberry may help support the body’s defense against these radicals. Many studies show they are powerful in Alzheimer’s and other diseases.

     ORAC values, antioxidant levels of berries

    (Source)

    We purchased our plants at Edible Landscaping.com and Stark Bros.

    Freezing and Baking

    Aronias are very tart, and only my son, myself, and a few brave souls will eat them raw, BUT, they freeze well, are so dependable for a huge crop, and are delicious in quick-breads like this berry oat breakfast bread and smoothies (with bananas) as long as you add back enough honey or stevia. Smash a bit before baking with them.

    Aronia berries harvested and washed, tart and healthy, ORAC value is very high

    I’m sure aronias dry (dehydrate) wonderfully although I haven’t done this yet. One bush is all that’s necessary as aronias are self-fertile, and growing them is so easy. They have no pest issues. Plant characteristics here. We planted ‘Viking’ (4-5′ tall). Purchase here.

    See my post Aroniaberry Love & Six Recipes.

    Elderberry Syrup Recipes
    Get your printable elderberry syrup recipes!

     

    Growing Elderberries

    Elderberries are not self-fertile and need 2 different varieties to bear fruit. The can grow pretty large, so plant where they can spread out and fairly close together, maybe 18-20′ apart maximum. Plant characteristics here.

    We planted Johns and York. Purchase plants here. And at Edible Landscaping.com.

    Elderberries in blossom and in fruit:

     Elderberries ready to harvest, Johns variety, not self-fertile

    Elderberries are also better nutritionally than blueberries. Used for its antioxidant activity to lower cholesterol, improve vision, boost the immune system, improve heart health and for coughs, colds, flu, bacterial and viral infections and tonsillitis. Elderberry juice was used to treat a flu epidemic in Panama in 1995.

    For Your Medicine Cabinet: Powerful Medicinal Properties for Flu and Cold

    They are fabulous for pies, jams and jellies, wine-making, and my reason for growing them~ making elderberry tincture, a cold and flu remedy that works wonders. The flowers are delightful breaded and made into fritters. While some say eating them raw is not good, we have upon occasion eaten a small handful and lived to tell about it.

    See many additional PubMed studies here in this post:  No Flu Shots 4 Us: We Use Elderberry Syrup (99% effective for H5N1)

    Growing Aronias, Elderberries, and Currants, muffins, breads, scones, in bloom, fruit, fight cancer, aging, inflammation, how-to guide, planting shrubs, neurological diseases, phenolic flavonoid phytochemicals, Consort Black currants, Cherry Red currants, ORAC values, antioxidant levels, chokecherries, tart fruit, Viking, raw food, Johns and York, Edible Landscaping.com, elderberry tincture, anti-viral properties, fritters, self-fertile, anthocyanins, anti-cancer, anti-aging, Genesis 1: 29, quotes, let your food be your medicine, sustainable gardening, health benefits, homemaking, keeper at home. homesteading, Hippocrates, quotes, preparedness, freezing, canning, putting up the harvest, European berries, elderberry tincture in vodka, cold and flu remedy that works

    This post contains links to all of my favorite resources on Elderberries plus peer-reviewed PubMed studies that are changing the way we think about flu!

    And lastly, Growing Red & Black Currants..

    in bloom and in fruit:

     currants - putting up the harvest, European berries, not yet ripe

    Blackcurrants have significantly high amounts of phenolic flavonoid phytochemicals called anthocyanins. Scientific studies have shown that consumption of blackcurrants have health effects against cancer, aging, inflammation and neurological diseases. Red currants have slightly less of these properties.

    Currants are self-fertile and can have some mildew problems, so look for resistant varieties. We planted varieties Consort Black and Cherry Red. Growing them is easy as they have no significant pests.

    We purchased our plants at Edible Landscaping.com.

    Freezing and Baking

    They freeze and dry nicely, and we use them fresh to make wonderful muffins, breads, these scones below, and (if you develop an Old World mindset as to taste) are wonderful fresh!

    See recipe here.

    Growing Aronias, Elderberries, and Currants, muffins, breads, scones, in bloom, fruit, fight cancer, aging, inflammation, how-to guide, planting shrubs, neurological diseases, phenolic flavonoid phytochemicals, Consort Black currants, Cherry Red currants, ORAC values, antioxidant levels, chokecherries, tart fruit, Viking, raw food, Johns and York, Edible Landscaping.com, elderberry tincture, anti-viral properties, fritters, self-fertile, anthocyanins, anti-cancer, anti-aging, Genesis 1: 29, quotes, let your food be your medicine, sustainable gardening, health benefits, homemaking, keeper at home. homesteading, Hippocrates, quotes, preparedness, freezing, canning, putting up the harvest, European berries, baking

    While all these berries are are well known in Europe, we Americans are mostly missing out on the benefits. Take my word on it, they are pretty easy to grow and do not need spraying. Aronias, elders, and currants will add wonderful, God-designed health properties to your family’s diet. If you are preparedness-minded as we are, these will really be a blessing to have already producing.

    Elderberry Syrup Recipes
    Get your printable elderberry syrup recipes!

     

    And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.” ~ Genesis 1: 29

    “Let your food be your medicine and your medicine be your food” ~Hippocrates

    Growing Aronias, Elderberries, and Currants For Harvest. All three beautiful fruits.
    Print Friendly, PDF & Email
    Share1.7K
    Telegram
    Pin2.0K
    3.7K Shares
    « How To Make Your Own Funky Little Newspaper Seedling Pots
    Bluebird Parenting & Christian Parenting: Survival Against the Odds »

    Related

    Hi! I’m Jacqueline!

    Thanks for being part of this journey with me.
    Welcome to my own little place on the internet! Home is where I love to be. I feel there is no greater place to incubate souls. These days you’ll find me using my experiences here to write about herbal remedies and natural health research — a big passion of mine. But being a wife and mother is not easy. It is challenging and potentially lonely. I get that. I wanted to create a place to connect with and support other moms for creating a natural, healthy, and fulfilling home life.
    Join the newsletter:

    Sent in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

    Footer

    About Deep Roots at Home

    What is Deep Roots at Home?
    Jacqueline’s Story
    Article Archives
    Contact
    Stay Updated

    Weekly updates on the topics that matter the most to you!

    Sent in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

    Popular Posts This Week
    • Joe Tippins’s Fenbendazole Protocol For Cancer
    • Confusing ‘Acting’ Respectfully With ‘Respecting’ – What?
    • The Largest Family In the World: Be Inspired, Amazed by the Mully Movie
    • Crock Pot Liners and Instant Pots That Test Safe For Lead

    Affiliate Disclosure  •  Medical Disclosure  •  Privacy Policy  •  Cookie Policy

    The information on this website has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any disease. By accessing or using this website, you agree to abide by the Terms of Service, Full Disclaimer, Privacy Policy, Affiliate Disclosure, and Comment Policy. Content may not be reproduced in any form. Website by Imperative Co.



    © 2006–2023 Deep Roots at Home • All Rights Reserved

    Many people don’t see me on the Deep Roots at Home Facebook page these days due to censorship.

    Come straight to Deeprootsathome.com instead and find out what you’re missing!

    You can even make DRAH your browser homepage.

    Get your free printable guide!

    Fill in your email address to receive the free “5 Easy, Homemade Remedies to Beat Coughs & Colds” printable PDF.

    Get your free printable guide!

    Fill in your email address to receive the free “5 Easy + Healthy Lifestyle Drinks” printable PDF.

    Get your free printable guide!

    Fill in your email address to receive the free “Make Your Own Elderberry Syrup — with Easy Recipes!” printable PDF.

    Subscribe to Email Updates

    By adding your email address below, you agree to receive email updates from Deep Roots at Home. You’ll get 2-6 emails per month with info that we can’t share on social media and important updates. We may send occasional marketing / sales emails.

    Get your free printable guide!

    Fill in your email address to receive the free “Treasured Old Books” printable guide.

    Get the printable ebook!

    Fill in your email address to receive the free “Dyslexia Tips” ebook from Sarah J. Brown.

    Get your free printable guide!

    Fill in your email address to receive the free “Starving Brains & Poor Attention Spans in Boys: 30 Tips for Parents” printable PDF.

    Get your free ebook!

    Fill in your email address to receive the free “Vital Vaccine Info” printable e-book.

    Get your free printable guide!

    Fill in your email address to receive the free “31 Days of Praying Scripture for Newlyweds” printable guide.

    Get the freebie of the season!

    Fill in your email address to receive the free “100 Wholehearted Books to Take Back the Culture” printable guide.

    Praying for newlyweds is perhaps the best gift we can give them! Receive this printable PDF: “31 Days of Praying Scripture for Newlyweds.” 

    Prayers for Husbands

    View our privacy policy.

    The PDF will arrive in your inbox! You’ll also get about 1-2 emails a month (including the seasonal freebies!) and can unsubscribe at any time.

    ¡Nos gustaría mantener en contacto! Y usted recibirá un obsequio importante de la temporada: “Cerebros Ambrientes y Escasa Atención En Los Niños” PDF imprimible.

    Spanish Boys Attention Spans

    Ver nuestra política de privacidad.


    ¡El PDF llegará a su buzón de entrada! ¡Usted recibirá 1 – 2 correos electrónicos al mes (incluyendo los regalos de temporada!) y puede cancelar su suscripción en cualquier momento.