Should the thought of growing elderberries strike your fancy, Tori Jackson will be on hand to provide information on the crop on Tuesday, Feb. 10, at the University of Maine Extension office in Lisbon.

Jackson, a UMaine Extension educator and associate professor of agriculture and natural resources, will host a meeting for people who grow elderberrries and those intersted in growing them. The session at the Extension office on 24 Main St. will run from 1-3 p.m. David Handley, UMaine Extension vegetable and small fruit specialist, also will be on hand. Jackson, 36, has been a professor with the UMaine Cooperative Extension in Androscoggin and Sagadahoc counties for seven years.

“I primarily work with farmers, home gardeners and master gardener volunteers in the two counties, but I also work with new and beginning farmers and in farm business management statewide,” she said. “While I spend the majority of my time working with commercial farmers, I also very much enjoy working with my master gardener volunteers on amazing projects in the community. We focus on projects that teach kids how to grow food, provide fresh produce for food-insecure residents, and ensure sustainable gardening practices in Maine.”

Jackson grew up in Monmouth, gardening alongside her father and siblings. When she was 16, Jackson began working summers at Highmoor Farm, a University of Maine Agricultural Experiment Station.

“I have been working for UMaine Extension in some capacity ever since,” she said.

Jackson and her husband, Mike, built a house in the woods of North Wayne in 2007. The couple also play in a wedding band every other Sunday.

Jackson answered questions regarding elderberries for the Tri-Town Weekly.

Q: What’s interesting about elderberries?

A: Elderberries are one of those fruits everyone has heard of, but not many people have grown. We have elderberries growing wild in Maine, but since they are not eaten fresh, you would have to know what to do with them to enjoy them.

Q: What are they most commonly used for?

A: Elderberries can be made into jams and jellies, pies, juice, wine, or used medicinally. Elderberry juice can be used as a natural ink or dye in crafting or in food labeling.

Q: How do they grow, a bush, a plant, and how long do they take to mature?

A: Elderberries are a perennial shrub that take two to three years to begin bearing fruit. They eventually become very tall and produce pretty, white flower clusters in early summer. The berries ripen in September.

Q: Are elderberries in vogue?

A: Like many plants whose fruits are high in antioxidants (blueberries, cranberries, etc.), elderberries are popular among the health-conscious, as well as those interested in permaculture. This renewed interest in a traditional crop is the reason UMaine Extension is holding a growers meeting ­­– to see how much interest there is in commercial production.

Q: What other fruit do they most taste like? How would you describe the taste?

A: Raw fruit are very tart and seedy, not something you would pick and snack on. Parts of the plant (including the stems, leaves and unripe berries) are actually toxic. Since elderberries are only consumed once they have been cooked, the flavor depends on how they are being used. It is a unique flavor, especially when paired with the juice of elderflowers, which is common. It has notes of blueberry and cranberry, but more complex.

Q: What would be the size of a typical elderberry patch for the backyard gardener? How much would he or she harvest?

A: I recommend that home gardeners purchase shrubs from local, reputable nurseries. Each shrub, when mature, can produce upward of 12 pounds of fruit per season. So, if you just want to make a few pies, three shrubs will be more than enough. Those wishing to make elderberry wine would need significantly more.

Q: What does a gardener need to know about raising them properly?

A: As with any perennial plant, choosing the correct location in full sun and with good soil is the first step. For the home gardener, maintaining a deep mulch layer around the plant and ensuring good air movement around the plant will reduce weed pressure and disease problems. Gardeners should be prepared to water often in the first few years after planting. Elderberries are prone to some fungal and viral diseases, which may prevent production on a commercial scale. That is one of the things we hope to find out.