This is an authentic pokeberry ink recipe from Dr. and Mrs. John Mosby Sheppard of Henrico Couty, Virginia. Their family legend has it that Union Major General George Armstrong Custer tied his hourse to a cedar tree right in front of the farmhouse.

Pokeberry Ink Recipe:

Pick ripe pokeberries. Crush them in a bowl using a potato masher. Pick out the skins before straining the juice. Careful of the juice stains.

In Civil War hospitals nurses used pokeberry ink to help Confederate soldiers write home.

A very good writing.

Some very good information about using the war people can be found at:

http://www.uttyl.edu/vbetts/recipes.htm

Most sincerely,
Terri Anne Hastings