Like everything else this year, elderflowers are late to bloom. It is 24th June and they are only just coming out now. Our rhubarb is starting to look a little old, so a couple of weeks ago I pulled several stalks from our two main patches - though mostly from Shirley's plant. These were weighed (3lbs 2oz), cut into pieces and shoved in the freezer. I removed them this morning and picked elderflowers on my way home from work.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh1xRhzVcRBkNvvOYsTr3Yk9pvjb5lg8618f4aMIR_uWigLVfJ17ip7dtpI3R4pDa89hyFlvQyT9AWQDoXCdknXO5FI3GLAyf0DJnKqf6KILb4vdmvbqdlv6rvncCM12yTfdzsR7owjxY/s320/Elderly+Rhubarb+1.jpg) |
Elderly Rhubarb |
My not-quite-four-mile walk has a section through woodland, and I cross Meanwood Beck then walk along a path adjoining a field. It is a delightful journey and partly (though only partly) the reason I don't catch the bus. And there are elder trees dotted all over.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyiLnxXWrF3IhGucC0nB_HwyV6pv9DZLGYDaDoroLy3XnQg92NGPafQzJ937aoGnDBEZAwBNFthD91iCq_cvN4GZUQzW3S2mOQmSf0obuiDXwh7eRPzoIlTvdtSyYDEX4FkfKB2xUqv-M/s320/Path+to+work+with+elderflowers.jpg) |
On my walk to work |
This evening I picked a few in the woodland and some along the patch, but I planned mostly to get them from the field. I knew the field had horses, in much the same way I knew it had buttercups. After climbing over the wall I noted the horses were all under one elder tree so I made my way to the other some distance away and started picking. There was a definite sound of trotting behind me and it was getting closer. I turned to find three surprisingly large horses running at me enthusiastically. I think they were hungry. Making 'Good Horse' noises and patting one particularly insistent one on the nose, I continued collecting elderflowers. Until I felt my backpack being nibbled. I made my apologies and withdrew.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuF1rYzuXVuFLlcppn7XVSgHrsDA-lwZ9pPSQnq2hDt3f8q_mgmDPrc0qWz-fCx2TDHxs4HOl5zQ7F58vuhLWoeFLw_SeOUAmp3aOiXju0_GIaim8t_SIgB7kMTBFh-YZhNMiHqUVWk5M/s320/Field+&+Horse+1.jpg) |
A field with buttercups, elderflowers and horses |
At home, half an hour's stripping of flowers left me with half a pint, and I put these in the bucket with all the rhubarb, 3lbs sugar and 6
½ pints of boiling water. I left it all over night and put in the yeast and a teaspoon each of pectolase and nutrient the following morning.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8bh6STr-CRHB1nKkwMWAzzXqarKdfOTV7Qwe3m1qWbbGFI7kPo6rtj-ZXqJuPixC3cIow2SQAf0vKNcveFpzNyeLKUGGYPMYA33RRS4ZPuISPvGtmVGQzo6K81zJwy0cYm6Rysnjf2qQ/s320/Rhubarb+&+Elderflower+in+bucket.jpg) |
A mix of rhubarb and elderflower in its bucket |
I sieved out the fruit and flowers, putting the liquid into its demijohn on Friday night, 28th June, after having spent an evening drinking beer with Matthew. The wine is in a brown glass demijohn, in an effort to preserve its candy-floss pinkness.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg71zvP_ZvB2N8PYywvciVohegqQYGUvXYU8JoPg7KjXBoUp_bw4KY8QKAq2Nth0sVj_2WF3Hd-D_eRjGXUxCGbAIge7W8Z9CzcDAK_dl8NiF3D4lUDyIIbIzxU7W_lB22N7LLEVZ8FVfA/s320/Rhubarb+&+Elderflower+in+demijohn.jpg) |
A brown demijohn preserves the colour |
If you want to see how this wine turned out, click
here
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