Sister of the Flower Moon

Conversation with Betsy Harris

Betsy Harris with flower scout, Telford Photo by Emily Bell

For those of us who love poking around in the wild for something rare and wonderful we have ubiquitous measures of success when we meet a rare beauty. Oohs and ahhs and a lot of ruffling pages are followed by a smug sense of accomplishment as we catalog and memorialize our newest treasure. If you don’t know her already, you’ll feel the same way as you meet Betsy Harris.

I first met Betsy when working on the digital anthology that accompanied Feast of Flowers, an exhibition I mounted at the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens in Jacksonville, Florida, 2012-2013. Betsy and her life-partner, David Montgomery came to work on the project at my studio as we prepared to launch. Their son, Jonah curled up and slept on the couch while our tribe talked flowers, beetles and moths. I knew then these two avid surfers from Fernandina Beach, Florida were truly special. We formed a mutual admiration society that has been active more than a dozen years.

I’ve followed Betsy with awe and wonder for the last decade. I’ve gasped with her botanical revelations and drooled over her culinary creations more often than I can count. What she doesn’t know about the native vegetation of the southeast she intuits.

Her intense curiosity about the survival diet of indigenous peoples led her to the woods with basket and bag to harvest and experiment. When a cacophony of edible natives land in her kitchen she curates the varied flavors and textures and organizes the chaos into culinary masterworks.

Below is a delightful recipe that embraces a plant growing in practically every roadside ditch in the southeast. Its delightful white bouquets produce dark rich berries. Harvest them and render the juice. See what you get.

American Elderberry. Sambucus canadensis from bloom to fruit to bowl. A harvest of roadside delight.

Elderberry Coconut Cream Pie (w/ a hint of lime)

- 1 Graham cracker crust, store bought or homemade

- 2/3 C elderberry juice (just juice, not syrup)

- 1/3 C lime juice

- 1 C sugar

- 2 cans full fat coconut milk

- 1/2 C cornstarch

- Pinch of salt

Combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a large pot.

Add in the elderberry and lime juice and heat on medium until sugar is dissolved.

Add in coconut milk, increase heat to Med/High and stir constantly until thickened. The consistency should be like a thick pudding.

Remover from heat, pour over graham cracker crust and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Mossdrawn, Episode 8 May 5, 2025

James and I scheduled a telephone visit with Betsy on May 2, 2025. We had a delightful visit we share with you. Enjoy the listen and visit Betsy’s Instagram page, betzharris.

You also will want to check out her botanical-inspired creations.

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