Christian Peterson
reporter.riverbendnews@gmail.com
The North Florida area is an undeniably agricultural hub. No matter where you go, it wouldn’t take you more than five minutes to find a farm. However, every farm is unique. This especially rings true of North Florida Elderberry, owned and operated by Chase Cannady and Amber Corbin.
North Florida Elderberry has been in the family for 75 years and is a staple of Hamilton County, where it is located. Cannady grew up farming, specifically conventional crops. However, after graduation, he made his way west to find work. In 2019, he returned to North Florida, planting elderberry for the first time on the farm. “We chose elderberry because it was something outside the box. It was something we had given to our children in elementary school to keep them healthy, and it worked well,” Cannady said. “So we did some research to see if it would grow in our area. We were originally told it would not, but we decided to try anyway. Today, we have five acres of elderberry. We have five different varieties and have learned about them all, and we will soon expand our orchard.”
The duo has shown ingenuity in bringing this unique crop to North Florida, especially in the face of unique challenges. The first issue they have faced is the public knowledge of elderberries. On top of that, 98 percent of elderberry products in the United States are imported from Europe. “To ship them from Europe to the U.S., they must be dehydrated and then rehydrated when they arrive here. European berries (Nigra) have a toxin known as cyanogenic glycosides, and they have to be heavily processed to be made safe for consumption,” Cannady said. “This usually means long periods of boiling, whereas the American Elderberry (Canadensis) does contain the same toxin but at much lower concentrations and can be consumed raw or with minimal processing, preserving the antioxidants and the reason we all take elderberry.”
When planting these crops, the farm uses cuttings. “The varieties we grow were all put through trails, along with hundreds of other wild specimens and found to be the superior cultivars,” Cannady said. “As long as you have a cutting, you’ll always have a clone of the mother plant.” The farm boasts a state-licensed nursery, which sells cuttings and potted elderberries. “Cutting season usually runs through late winter, and right now, we have pre-orders for potted elderberry that will be ready for pickup around May 1. You can take these potted plants, and in the fall, when the temps begin to cool, October or November, you can transplant them into the ground,” Cannady continued, “In the early spring, we fertilize with chicken litter and put a layer of wood mulch down along the row. Harvest is all done by hand. My fiance and I harvested 4,500 pounds of elderberry by hand this past summer. We use organic farming practices and never use pesticides or herbicides.”
North Florida Elderberry boasts the best elderberry products one can find nearby. “Our farm fresh elderberry products have been tested and shown to contain three times the antioxidants as products made with European berries,” Cannady said. The farm offers a plethora of products outside of its pure elderberry plants and cuttings. Cannady and Corbin also sell value-added products, such as pure elderberry juice, immune syrup, elixirs and elderberry maple. “These are immune boosting products,” said Cannady. “You can simply take the tablespoon by itself or add it to lemonade, sparkling water or smoothies, or we have several customers who use it to make cocktails. We also have elderberry jelly, made with fresh juice from our berries and also a delicious balsamic vinegar that is great on salads, chicken or pork.” North Florida Elderberry is always looking towards the future, viewing trends in the agriculture industry to prepare. “The trends we see in agriculture are people taking the ‘natural turn’ and looking for more traditional ways to promote their own health versus just taking pharmaceuticals. They would also rather know their farmer than buy from big retailers and have no idea where the food originated from.”
North Florida Elderberry attends farmers markets on a weekly basis. On Wednesdays, they can be found at the Monticello Farmers Market at 80 N Jefferson St., in Monticello. On Saturdays, they can either be found at the Alachua County Farmers Market at 5920 NW 13th St., in Gainesville or Haile Farmers Market at 5213 Sw 91st Ter., in Gainesville. Every other Sunday, they can be found at the Orange Park Farmers and Arts Market, located at 2042 Park Ave., in Orange Park. Their products are also available in stores across North and Central Florida. They also have two stores in Valdosta, Ga., and one store in Knoxville, Tenn.
“The most rewarding part of what we do is the feedback we get from our customers,” said Cannady. “The testimonies of how our product helped them with allergies or maybe they reduced their diabetic meds. Every week we have people stop and tell us how its helped them and that is the best part of what we do.” To learn more about North Florida Elderberry, follow them on Facebook or Instagram. Interested individuals can also visit their website and contact them directly at northfloridaelderberry.com.
