Harvesting Elderberries in Bethany Wetlands

Sixth graders learn to make jelly—from harvest to canning—from elderberries they picked in the Bethany wetlands.

When high school Environmental Science teacher Amy Thut planted the Bethany wetlands in spring 2006, she included elderberry shrubs since they are native to Indiana and good for wildlife—and some day the fruit might be useful as well. Last week as sixth graders explored the wetlands during their study of ecosystems, they found the bushes ripe with fruit. With their teachers, Mrs. Grieser and Mrs. Hershberger, they made plans to harvest the berries—eating a few on the side—and learn the process of making jelly.

Dr. Harley Yoder, father of sixth grader Joel Yoder and a homemade jelly maker, juiced the berries for the class; then they helped cook the berries, adding and stirring in sugar, lemon juice, and pectin (to make it gel). When they were done, they canned the jelly so everyone in the class could take some home—and plan to sell a few at the Bethany Auction in March.

The 20 gallons of berry tops they picked provided enough juice for about 80 cups of jelly—though they saved some berries for Mr. Yoder to bake a pie for Amy Thut—to thank her for her foresight in planting the shrub in the wetlands.