As a child I spent much time with my grandparents. In the chiken yard (wich was huge) was a large elder tree. I remember that I always played unther this tree.
Previously you could find elder at any yard and allong any field tracks, but not anymore.
I have been in the wood to locate elder in my village, I found several trees and took photos.
Some are small trees and others are large shrubs.
The thick branches are grey, but the thinner twigs are more green.
Here in Belgium, partly due to the mild winter there are already buts on the branches.
I took a few twigs home, stripped of the bark and cut into small pieces. Thrown everything into a bowl and topped with olive oil. Then I put the half into a double boiler for about 2 hours and then strained. Then poured the oil over the new bark and again infused for 2 hours.
Poured it through a filter and then into a clean bottle.
Double infused elder bark oil
Making a bruise salve out of the oil.
Using the double boiler method again.
I heated the double infused elder bark oil in a pan and melted the beeswax in the oil.
My friend Leslie told me to to use 1 part beeswax to 8 parts oil.
