Elderberry Experiment: Update #6
Last edited Fri Apr 13, 2018, 12:53 PM - Edit history (1)
The experiment expands with continued implementation of my sketched out plans for 2018 (i.e. Phase 2).
Digging rows for pending spring plantings.
Rows are ~160-feet long and will be on 10-foot centers. The plan is to use a 6-foot spacing between plants within each row, which is a slightly higher density than the 6-feet x 12-feet spacing recommended in the 2016 Growing Elderberries: A Production Manual and Enterprise Viability Guide for Vermont and the Northeast, published by UVM Center for Sustainable Agriculture, University of Vermont Extension. The 160-foot long rows and 6-foot spacing means there will be ~25-plants per row. Each trench will be filled and mounded with a topsoil/mulch/native soil mixture. Plus, I am thinking of adding a small (<1-inch) water line in each trench for "passive" irrigation.
I anticipate completing up to 8-rows within this paddock, which equates to 200 plants, of which I (currently) plan on being split among ~100 Bob Gordons, ~50 Niagara Wild and ~50 of my local Soil and Water Conservation District provided generics (the post card notice that my order of 50 “bare-root” cuttings will be ready for pickup starting April 19th has already been received).
Originally I thought I might make intra-mixed rows, but now I’m thinking that each row will be only one type each, to make it easier to track which plant is which.
The current status of Phase 1: Still waiting for the Spring Warm-up (please ignore the April snow flurry)
One of my Novas:
One of my Yorks:
Plus, the future area of Phase 3:
This is about a 1-acre area to be cleared of scrub and stumps followed by drainage improvements after the 2018 Phase 2 cuttings are planted. I hope to start planting Phase 3 in 2019.
So, all in all it will be a busy spring and summer!
Links to previous updates:
Elderberry Experiment: In the beginning: https://www.democraticunderground.com/11597228
Elderberry Experiment: Update #1: https://www.democraticunderground.com/11597235
Elderberry Experiment: Update #2: https://www.democraticunderground.com/11597246
Elderberry Experiment: Update #3: https://www.democraticunderground.com/11597391
Elderberry Experiment: Update #4: https://www.democraticunderground.com/11597481
Elderberry Experiment: Update #5: https://www.democraticunderground.com/11597520
= new reply since forum marked as read
...I always wonder when I make an update if anyone else is really interested (other than just me) 
...is the plan. A hobby which will keep me busy, and off the couch, in the years to come and maybe provide a little cash. I already own the land, and since the horses are gone now with the kids (mostly) out of the nest, I have all this infrastructure (barn, tractor, paddocks) just itching to be put to use.
I would like 1,000 plants, but 500 is more likely what I'll be able to manage.
I haven't really decided if I am going to focus on one market yet, other than organic (if I can obtain the credentials). There are a few local food-coops I plan on approaching to see if they would be interested in Elderberries and in what form/format (i.e. dried/frozen). But, all in all, I need to get the plants in and producing before I really see where I'll end up.
My first choice is to make wine, hence the dabbling in the Bob Gordon variety,
with the thought of finding a way to make a pure (organic) Elderberry wine, sans any grape juice as most of the current recipes I have found so far require. Historically in England (reportedly), most wine was Elderberry wine and I doubt very much they mixed it with grape juice from France. After that, if the wine makes any headway I'd start research into making Elderberry Brandy, Liqueur or just about anything Elderberry with a little ethanol. 
However, I don't want to lock myself in just yet, since there are so many options: frozen berries, dried berries, juice, etc. Heck, even the seeds can be pressed for Elderberry Seed oil.
Plus, I am slightly concerned about an infestation of spotted wing drosophila (SWD):
http://www.mofga.org/Publications/MaineOrganicFarmerGardener/Spring2012/Drosophila/tabid/2140/Default.aspx
Consequently, I am already looking at options/markets for Elderflowers if some time in the future my fruit is compromised.
Hope that answers your question (sometimes I ask the same basic question in my head, "what the heck are you doing all this for?" )
NG
PS
Plus, if all this is for nought, I really haven't invested much more than my time and I will likely have very happy birds in August/September.
The aroma I experienced last summer while walking through the few flowering plants I already have was almost reward enough. Can't wait to see what 100+ flowering elderberries will smell like.
