Michigan’s First Commercial Elderberry Farm Boosts Agriculture and Wellness

In partnership with: Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development

Samantha Fall first fell in love with elderberries in the mid-2000s after a horrible bout of flu landed her in the emergency room.

“Somebody told me about elderberry syrup, and that just sounded like some hoo-hah, witch-doctor-type thing,” admits Fall, owner of Elderberry Farms Estate in Traverse City, Michigan.

Fall became an elderberry fan when she tried the traditional herbal supplement herself and noticed positive outcomes.

Elderberries boast a high level of antioxidants and are a good source of essential vitamins and minerals like vitamin C. Studies show numerous health benefits for these natural components of the berry.

“Elderberry is one of my favorite things that I have in my own bathroom cabinet,” Fall says.

Farming Legacy

Following in the footsteps of her grandmother and great-grandparents, after graduating from Michigan State University, Fall started a minifarm outside East Lansing with dairy goats, chickens and produce, plus she began making soaps, jellies and extracts.

But it wasn’t until she opened Elderberry Farms Estate on 14 acres in 2023 that she went all in on elderberries, with five varieties – York, Adams, Wyldewood, Pocahontas and Bob Gordon – as well as a variety of produce, U-pick lavender and blueberries, and a year-round market that also sells goat milk soap, raw honey and more.

Although Elderberry Farms is not certified organic, it uses plant-based pesticides and no chemicals other than diluted neem oil to protect the honeybees in the aviary.

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Elderberry Farms also offers a farm-stay apartment, ticketed dinners with guest chefs, classes in wreath-making and other crafts, and rentable space for weddings and other private events. Beginning sometime in 2025, guests can get the full farm experience by helping collect eggs or milk the goats with Fall as she makes her rounds.

Elderberry shrubs currently account for more than half of the farm’s crops, and more are continually being added. The plants love the nitrogen, moisture and well-draining soil.

“I always felt a calling to do this,” Fall says. “I was kind of an advocate and activist for supporting farmers, growing local and organic, to help with transportation, emissions and climate change.”

Fall believes this way of eating and growing is better for consumers and the earth.

A Growing Business

First-time commercial farming, of course, comes with challenges. Fall contended with crop damage from the burrowing voles’ underground highway systems of tunnels and their eating of the elderberry roots. In addition, the market’s expensive fire suppression system ruptured and flooded a couple of times during the summer.

She had to learn on the fly how to juggle a multitude of tasks, from farming and making products to acting as a hotelier, on top of running her multimedia production company – with plans to phase that out soon.

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Scaling Fall’s passion for elderberries into a commercial operation has taken hard work and determination because the tiny berries and staggered ripening times make harvesting by hand very labor-intensive.

Despite the long hours and strenuous work, Fall has big dreams for her operation and family. This year, Fall will move into the new farmhouse with her 8-year-old son, Cameron, and her fiance, Jeff Krumm. They hope to bring their goats, chickens and other livestock on-site and acquire sheep for Cameron to help shear and spin fiber from.

“Cameron always wanted to have a farm. He wants to be in charge of the animals, and sometimes he’ll ride in the tractor with me,” Fall says. “He has been the driving force behind Elderberry Farms Estate and gives me occasional positive reinforcement, where he’ll hug me and be like, ‘Thanks, Mom, for making this farm happen.’”