By all means use the berries! Yes they will have stones so likely the easiest thing is to cook them slowly in water about 45 min to an hour and press the juice out through a cheesecloth or clean cloth flour bag material or old tea towel. Then make the juice up to jelly or a very nice syrup. Lots of recipes on line. My wife sells jams and jellies and also Chokecherry syrup. It makes a great flavour stirred into plain yogurt! She has a lady friend who buys it just for that purpose.

Clayton

And....any jam/jelly, nutsaboutflowers?

Have some in the freezer of native chokecherries, including sand cherries, gooseberries and pin cherries, ....like I usually do before processing, they easier fall apart when freezing first, I'll make some with mixing in honey, I like the syrup, usually I mix it with hot water and make a drink.

Great info. Clayton!

Absolutely make jelly or jam! One year I made 120 small baby food jars of jelly from 2 trees. My mom used to make it all the time from these very trees and it is oh so delicious! Same way Clayton decribed it! Yummy, yummy, yummy! :)

Ginny

I use the wild ones as I have lots on my property and mix them with Hi-Bush cranberries for pancake syrup. Not everyones cup of tea but I like it.
Does anyone know if Red elderberries are safe to eat( like in Juice) once they are cooked.

Mixing them up can make a nice combination.
The red elderberries should be safe when cooked as long you don't eat the pits, I know of someone who has used them,.. but don't count me on it.

I have heard they are safe but there is that lingering doubt...what if?... Sure wish they were as my place is loaded with them and more growing all the time.

Konrad asked if I made any jam/jelly since I posted this question.

I ended up not having time the year I posted, and last year I didn't get enough berries. I had very few blossoms compared to other years. I'm hoping for a bumper crop this year =:)

I'm going to keep my fingers crossed. We can't possibly have 3 terrible growing seasons in a row, right?

Yea..It's YOUR Year!

We should be good for a couple of years with jelly and syrup, about 18 liters.

Chokecherry I did separate [syrup], the pin cherry, gooseberry and western sand cherry mix turned out to be the best tasting.

beegood, If the red elderberries are red when ripe (purple stems), they're fine. I make jam with them myself. If the stems haven't turned purple yet, give them time to darken.

Gee thanks Momof4ont4. Will have to try that.It's a shame to see them all go to waste. Well not really as the birds eat them . I tried jelly and had a small taste and really liked it but then heard that they were practically deadly. Will post if I survive. LOL

Sure...increase dosage from day to day, LOL.

Birds like them very much, these are relatively early berries, this from Aug. 20, I like the looks of these.

Nice pic konrad___far_north! Yup, those look just like mine. Aren't all elderberries poisonous before they ripen? I thought that was why the birds don't touch them until they ripen, and then you have to pick them quick or they'll be gone in a couple of days. Once the stems turn purple they're safe. That's always been my understanding anyway.

Thank you momof4ont4!

Good to know about the stems...I have to remember this one.