Elderberry Resources

Planting Hedgerows

Good news for hedgerows: No effects on food safety in the field (February 2018)
Hedgerows next to crops can enhance pest control (August 2015)
Hedgerows enhance bird abundance and diversity on farms. (October 2012)
Hedgerows enhance beneficial insects on farms in California’s Central Valley (November 2011)

Producing Blue Elderberry as a Hedgerow-Based Crop in California. UC Agriculture and Natural Resources Publication Number 8709 (2021)
Growing Elderberries: A Production Manual and Enterprise Viability Guide for Vermont and the Northeast. UVM Center for Sustainable Agriculture, University of Vermont Extension. (2016)
Plant Guide for blue elderberry. USDA-National Resources Conservation Service (2001)
For a list of possible nurseries that stock blue elderberry, check the Calscape website, or contact your local California Native Plant Society chapter.
Elderberry Field Assessment for the Sacramento Valley. UC SAREP (2020).
Elderberry Cost of Production Studies. UC Davis Agriculture & Resource Economics (2020).

Framework for Assessing Impacts to the Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetle, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Safe Harbor Agreements for Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetle (a federally listed endangered species) Landowners in Yolo and Solano Counties can join safe harbor agreements or similar arrangements in order to provide assurances against additional future regulatory restrictions in connection with incidental disturbance of Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetle associated with lawful ongoing activities such as habitat restoration, levee maintenance, and farming.
- Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Shasta, Sutter, Tehama, and Yolo Counties: Sacramento River Forum, Jane Dolan, e-mail: jdolan@sbcglobal.net
- Solano County: Solano County Water Agency, Rich Marovich, e-mail: RMarovich@scwa2.com (Solano only covers land adjacent to Putah Creek and may be switching to a Habitat Conservation Plan model. Contact Rich Marovich for details.)

Farmer Profiles: Elderberry in Value-Added Products. UC SAREP (2020)
Photos of post-harvest processing equipment from Carmel Berry Company
Resources from UC Food Safety website
- Starting a Food Business
- Information on Using a Co-Packer
Beyond Fresh & Direct series - fact sheets based on a survey of specialty food manufacturers in California, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin in 2015 and interviews with selected manufacturers and farmers who supply manufacturers:
Value-Added On Farm Processing: Regulatory Considerations. UC Davis Food Sciences & Technology, Community Alliance with Family Farmers (2018.)
CA Cottage Food Law allows individuals to prepare and/or package certain non-potentially hazardous foods in private-home kitchens
Processed Food Registration covers the manufacture, processing, storage and distribution of food products in California

Buying Blue - a guide to Understanding the Market & Assessing Potential for California-grown Elderberry. UC SAREP (2020).
Understanding Opportunities for Elderberry Sales webinar featuring buyers within specialty food and herbal industries discussing what they look for when sourcing elderberry and/or flowers. UC SAREP (2020).
Elderberry promotional flyers – open-use. UC SAREP (2019)
- 5" x 8" double-sided
- 5" x 11" single-sided
A Wholesale Buyer Discusses Herbal Product Sourcing: Practical Considerations for Smaller Scale Growers Selling into a Global Marketplace. David Doty, Botanical Development Manager with Mountain Rose Herbs
Resources on Starting an Agricultural Coop. California Center for Cooperative Development
A Coop Answer to An Elderberry Question presentation by the Midwest Elderberry Cooperative (2019).
Collaborative Marketing for Small Farms: Selling and Working Together Profitably. Cornell University Cooperative Extension (2012).
Univ of Vermont Financial Decision Tool
Univ of Missouri Financial Decision Tool

UC SAREP elderberry mailing list
West Coast Elderberry Growers “Helping commercial growers (or those exploring commercial production) along the western coast and inland USA and Canada with education, networking, and support.”
Elderberry Growers Connect "Elderberry growers join to connect and share practices and resources related to commercial planting, growing, harvesting, processing and merchandising elderberries, elderflowers and products. This group is for more experienced growers. Beginning growers are asked to learn by reading posts, but to join the NEW Elderberry Growers group to post questions which more experienced growers will answer.”
New Elderberry Growers “This is a closed group for new commercial elderberry growers. Experienced growers are here to help. We offer advice to new growers in the exciting project to develop and maintain an elderberry orchard for commercial growing.”