Pat, Oh yes on the sugar. Today we could use Splenda instead. I never made the wine or the Jelly, but I have tasted and its good. I think they are around here but I am not going picking anymore. Yes I know the Indians did use a lot of leaves for tea, guess I don't care to try anything like that anymore. The berries and things we picked then did not have the chemicals in them like today. I would never pick up an apple to day and eat without washing. How I would love to take a trip to Morris and Sussex with you. Norma ----- Original Message ----- From: <Tacy413408@aol.com> To: <NJ-MEMORIES-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, November 18, 2002 10:11 AM Subject: [NJ-Memories] Re: Elderberries > Norma, > > I remember elderberries and they grow along my fence. See the all over the > place in La. The people down here don't eat them and think they are > poisonous, I guess. Might be because to eat the berry it would be bitter. > Takes lots of sugar to improve the taste for pies, jelly, etc. My mother > craves elderberry jelly. So when I go to craft shows in Miss, etc., I look > for jelly made in Ga or Ala and send to her. Just took her yearly supply to > her. LOL > > I sent a branch to the state agricultural group to have it tested about 35 > years ago. My husband wouldn't eat them, unless tested. The man said they > eat them down as far as northern Miss., but for some reason not down here. > > The American Indians used them. The flowers for tea and the leaves for > bruises, chafing, etc. My kids say oh, no, not the leaf cure. When my dau > dropped an oversized book from the table point down on her foot it swelled > up. She couldn't walk the next day. I squeezed the juice and wrapped her > foot in the leaves. Next day she was fine. The man that told us about this > said he used them on his family and put the leaves in his pockets to prevent > chafing. Don't know what the leaves contain, but it works. > > Makes good wine, too. > > Pat > > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 >