BERRY BENEFICIAL FOR YOUR HEALTH

Teresa Kurowski - Elderberry Lady of Tennessee

Photo Credit Ross Jaynes Visual Media Co.

Local Elderberry Ambassadors Share the Fruits of Their Labor

By William Harwood

If an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, then a cup of elderberries easily equals a bottle of benefits, at least when lovingly crafted by an expert who knows what she is doing. In our neck of the woods, we are fortunate to have not just one but two such elder ambassadors, each the founder of a thriving business based upon all things elderberry: Teresa Kurowski of the Elderberry Lady of Tennessee and Natalie Hart of Natalie’s Elderberries.

While Teresa and Natalie have their own unique approaches, both are in Spring Hill and both are making elderberry syrup and other sweetly salubrious products from a genus of trees called the Sambucus, commonly known as elders. Done well, the results are flavorful concoctions of vitamin-rich, antioxidant goodness, and both Teresa and Natalie do elderberries well. We asked each to share a bit of her recipe for success.

Natalie Hart Natalie's Elderberries

TERESA KUROWSKI — ELDERBERRY LADY OF TENNESSEE

Teresa with husband Steve

Teresa, how did you come to be known as The Elderberry Lady of Tennessee?

Good question. It actually started because of my allergies. Near the end of 2019, they hit hard. I thought I had strep throat. I couldn't talk, had a scratchy throat, and sounded like Kermit the Frog. A doctor told me to take Flonase. When I asked him for how long, thinking it would be for a week or two, he said for the rest of my life. Not the answer I was looking for.

Being a more holistic person, I searched for alternatives. I had heard about elderberries and their healing properties but had never really tried them. I went to Whole Foods, thinking they would have the best, and got a bottle of elderberry syrup that was very expensive and, even worse, tasted nasty. But, in a couple of days, I was feeling much better.

Because of that experience, I decided to start making small batches of elderberry syrup. My husband Steve and I are Christians, and he laid his hands on the pot of the first batch and began to pray. I started giving syrup to friends and people at work and they all told me how good it was. Soon they started telling their friends and, within about a week, my husband told me I needed to get a business license and insurance and do it like you are supposed to.

About three months later, COVID hit and everyone wanted my elderberry syrup. People were driving me crazy but in a good way. Demand just kept getting bigger, and we started doing farmers’ markets and supplying some stores. After five months, it had gotten so big I really couldn’t handle the demand. Although I wanted to continue to make it myself in a commercial kitchen, I decided to work with a co-packer. Our co-packer also does elderberry products for other people in different areas, and he does a wonderful job with my recipe.

What about you, Natalie? Why did you get started, and how long have you been at it?

The whole reason was to help my family. I started this in 2017 when our oldest kiddo was born. The elderberry is a superfood: a powerful antioxidant, an immune support tool, and a powerhouse tool that can be used by the whole family to help them get well and stay well naturally. I started crafting for our family when we had babies, and then it grew larger. Now we are a licensed handcrafter and have a commercial kitchen where we make our syrup.

Tell us more about your products, Natalie.

I make elderberry syrup as our main product and wellness tool. It's made with 100% organic herbs and raw honey, there are no fillers or artificial ingredients. It's strictly herbs and raw honey, all of which have medicinal benefits. I've incorporated other holistic wellness tools like herbal loose-leaf teas, elderberry lemonade, & essential oil roller bottles that people seem to love for additional immune system support.

It’s not just the products that are important, it’s the education. We’re hosting a class at my home teaching people how to make tinctures and learn about herbs. We see this from an entire health standpoint, not just products. We want people to see how everything we do, eat and drink affects our overall health. We want to provide tools such as elderberry syrup as one of the ways to get healthy.

What about you, Teresa? What are some of your products and the exciting things happening in 2022?

We carry a lot more products than when we first started. We have expanded to elderberry honey, lip balms, vinegar, teas, jams, dog treats, bath bombs, body butter, and face mist with elderflower all wild-crafted. We even made elderberry fudge that people went crazy over. In fact, there are other products we are working on that are patent pending, and will reveal once they are ready. Shark Tank has even contacted us and hopefully, we will be fortunate enough to be on the show. We are also hoping 2022 will be the year big box stores carry our products.

Natalie, could you speak about the health benefits of elderberries?

Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, referred to elderberries as “the plant of God that heals everything it touches.” My elderberry syrup is a proprietary blend of berries and organic herbs, handcrafted in small batches to ensure the utmost purity. If you are seeking an all-natural option to support your immune system along with respiratory, digestion, and cardiovascular wellness, you've come to the right place!

For me, it's more a focus on the holistic natural wellness side and about how I can assess where your need is to help get you better so that you can live your life to the fullest and enjoy and be happy and healthy. I think that differentiates me from some of the others. The berries and flowers of the elderberry are loaded with antioxidants and vitamins and are most commonly used to treat colds and flu. It has been beneficial for things like neuropathy, migraines, asthma, allergies, Crohn’s, IBS, respiratory health, boosting the immune system, suppressing inflammation, and helping protect your heart.

At the Nashville Farmers’ Market, we have had so many people tell us how our elderberry syrup has helped their asthma or allergies. We have had people with neuropathy share how much it has helped them, saying they either don't take pain pills any longer or not as many. I even had a woman with Crohn’s disease who said it helped her eat a little bit during the holidays. People have stopped by almost in tears to tell us how they do not have to use inhalers anymore. Another family told me the elderberry tea helped with their migraines. These natural medicines can be amazing, and people tell us that all the time. As always we recommend people speak with their doctors before changing any medications or treatments.

Where can your products be found, Natalie?

Natalie’s Elderberries can be found locally in Columbia at the RX Compound Pharmacy and Columbia Health Foods. For additional information or to order, folks can visit natalieselderberries.com or follow on us social media at @natalieselderberries.

And Theresa?

Along with places like the Nashville Farmers’ Market, you can currently find us at Vintage 615 in Spring Hill, Accent and Antiques and Nashville Tea Company in Columbia. For additional information, you can visit elderberryladyoftn.com or follow on us social media at @elderberryladyoftn.