We recently planted over 400 native berry, fruit and nut trees and shrubs at Where the Redfearn Grows Natural Farms in Independence, MO. Although our farm focusses on the fresh vegetable CSA program as our centerpiece enterprise, we also offer a wide array of products including free range eggs and raw honey. In coming years we’ll also offer berries and fruits for sale from our berry patches and orchards. We have blackberries and raspberries in the ground along with apricots, plums, cherries, pears and ten varieties of apples. In addition to that, we are adding some super foods to the list: aronia berries, elderberrries, and black currants which all are native to Missouri.
ELDERBERRIES
Our farm has a creek running through it. The creek already makes an excellent habitat for birds*. We wanted to add some of these shrubs and trees to make it an even better habitat, help control erosion along the stream as well as someday offer some unusual and incredibly healthy berries for sale.
We already had some wild elderberries growing on the property and Sheri used them to make a fabulous syrup that the kids LOVE on their pancakes as well as the best jam she’s ever made: peach-elderberry! We’re running low on both, so we can’t wait until our elderberries are ready to harvest and we’re looking forward even more to when these new aronia berries, elderberries, and black currants are producing in a few years.
In addition to the aronia berries, elderberries, and black currants, we also planted serviceberry, wild black cherry, wild plum, persimmon, hickory, pecan and white oak trees. It will be years before we or the birds and squirrels enjoy anything from these native species, but we look forward to them just the same. It’s fun to steward a property in such a way as to make it more productive while at the same time, insuring that wildlife flourish.
Aronia Berries
We can do this only because of our commitment to natural growing practices without the use of chemical pesticides or herbicides that could harm us, our customers who share in the harvest or the many species that call our farm home.
* Our son Josiah goes on bird walks on the property nearly every day and keeps a running list of the many species he sees each year. If you would be interested in going on a guided bird walk with our family, let us know. We’d love to share and Josiah can teach you a ton about birds!
