Yes that's me.
For the last couple of months, whenever I can break away I've been hitting some local wild elderberry patches. They do grow wild here in Florida, and even in the burbs here near the Fusel Shack, I can find a number areas with them growing. I've even taken some cuttings and planted them in my yard.
So far, the total harvest from my efforts has been about 20 pounds, which should be enough for a couple of different batches including the second part of the Old Blackie comparison. However, it ain't been easy. It is usually 90-95F, and the humidity is 75-90% - basically it's like picking fruit in a steam bath. If that wasn't enough, I'm dodging fire ants and some tropical spiders that are almost the size of blue crabs (literally 2-3 inch bodies) that even if not poisonous, their bite can take a chunk of meat big enough to require stitches. We also have enough mosquitoes swarming to leave you a pint of blood short by they time you're done, and of course, you better keep an eye out for gators.
Then there's the time cleaning and sorting. All together I've spent 20+ hours to get these berries. When you factor in the cost of my time, these are easily the most expensive berries on the face of the planet.
They better make some damned fine mead or I'm gonna be pissed!
For the last couple of months, whenever I can break away I've been hitting some local wild elderberry patches. They do grow wild here in Florida, and even in the burbs here near the Fusel Shack, I can find a number areas with them growing. I've even taken some cuttings and planted them in my yard.
So far, the total harvest from my efforts has been about 20 pounds, which should be enough for a couple of different batches including the second part of the Old Blackie comparison. However, it ain't been easy. It is usually 90-95F, and the humidity is 75-90% - basically it's like picking fruit in a steam bath. If that wasn't enough, I'm dodging fire ants and some tropical spiders that are almost the size of blue crabs (literally 2-3 inch bodies) that even if not poisonous, their bite can take a chunk of meat big enough to require stitches. We also have enough mosquitoes swarming to leave you a pint of blood short by they time you're done, and of course, you better keep an eye out for gators.
Then there's the time cleaning and sorting. All together I've spent 20+ hours to get these berries. When you factor in the cost of my time, these are easily the most expensive berries on the face of the planet.
They better make some damned fine mead or I'm gonna be pissed!
