Fall Foraging: Rosehips

With the days getting shorter and colder, the garden brought in, and plants going to sleep for winter, our family is starting the slow hunker down into winter mode. It's always that poignant season of letting go, for me. Once I get past that, I'm quite delighted by the slower pace of winter. Like the trees that go dormant and the animals that hibernate, there is wisdom in taking time to rest. 

The last things we bring in for the year are the horseradish and rosehips. It's getting late in the year for this post, but since I just collected mine, I'll encourage you... Step into the wild and discover rosehips—those vibrant red/orange fruits hiding in plain sight on the trails! These gifts from nature aren't just tasty, they're soothing and medicinal, too, boasting high vitamin C, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties! Bursting with tangy cran-apple-like flavor, they are perfect for jams, syrups, sauces or teas, their versatility shines in the kitchen. Mid- to late fall is the best time to harvest, so it's go time!

I love rose foliage as it turns colour!

Rosehips are the fruit of wild roses, ripening in fall. As with so many plants, there are myriad common names for several species. In Alberta, they're all called 'Wild Rose' but may also be Prairie Rose/Arkansas Rose (common name for both rosa arkansana, rosa woodsii) or the lovely Prickly Rose/Arctic Rose (rosa acicularis). The latter is Alberta's provincial floral emblem, and boasts the highest vitamin c content of any rosehip in the world (Boreal Herbal, p 146). The thing that makes rosehips great for a beginner forager is ease of identification - and all varieties of roses produce edible hips, even domesticated varieties. You’ll find hips in a range of colors from bright red to deep orange, and shapes from round to oblong, depending on the variety. Look for them after the first frost, when both the fruit and flavor softens, turning their tartness into a natural sweetness. 

When foraging, always ensure you’re picking from clean areas, away from roads or pesticide use. They're easy to spot along your favorite hiking trail or even in your own backyard - on Wildhaven Hills we have lots of places to look, from right by the strawberry bed to the woods near the garde, and then more along the trail in the south pasture.

Harvesting is as simple as plucking the hips from the branches. For the best flavor and texture, we aim to gather after the first solid frost, as this softens the tough skin and increases sweetness. You can use them fresh or freeze them if you plan to use them for the culinary side of things, or dehydrate them for later use in teas. Dried rosehips can be stored in airtight containers for months, offering a year-round pantry staple. 

Using Rosehips in the Kitchen

Now that you’ve got your bounty, let’s talk about how to put it to good use. Rosehips are incredibly versatile—think jams, syrups, jellies, a sweet-tart gastrique or sauce, paired with everything from desserts and breakfast to cheese and meat, mulled drinks and more! The fruit blends perfectly with fall flavours like cinnamon, clove, and citrus. 

When using in food preparations, you will want to discard the hard, hairy seeds* and only use the soft fruit. The hairs are quite prickly, leading to their First Nations name that dubbed them 'itchy bum berries'. 

Rosehip Jam or Sauce: Cook down fresh rosehips, then run through a fine food mill or strainer to remove the seeds. Add a bit of honey or sugar and lemon juice. Return to low heat until it has the thickness you desire - longer cooking results in thicker jam. Spread it on toast, mix into yogurt, or swirl it into a cake batter for a unique flavor twist, or serve alongside meat or with a cheese spread.

Rosehip Gastrique: This is one I didn't know about until Les Stroud's Wild Harvest (I think it was 2020). We tried it out after watching this inspiring episode. Amazing sweet-tart sauce can go into dessert territory or shine with meat or cheese, so an impressive addition to a charcuterie spread. This recipe is from that show and can be found in the Wild Harvest Recipes cookbook: combine 1 cup each of water, sugar, vinegar and rosehips. Simmer until volume is reduced by half, then pass through a fine sieve to remove the seeds. Be sure to scrape the thick pulp off the bottom of the strainer and mix into the syrup so that you have every lick of goodness. 

Rose Hip Syrup: Cover rosehips with water and simmer with honey until hips are super soft and their flavour is released and liquid is slightly thickened. Strain for a syrup that’s perfect over pancakes, stirred into cocktails, or drizzled over roasted vegetables.

Rose Hip Tea: Dry your rosehips for long term storage. I crush them before steeping them in hot water for a warm, soothing tea that packs a serious vitamin C punch—perfect for those chilly fall mornings when everyone else seems to be catching colds. We include rosehips in our Chill Out tea blend, as well as our Immune Boost tea and homemade cough syrup. A note on this - you can decide before drying them whether or not to remove the seeds and hairs. We dry and pulverise whole berries on the advice of renowned herbalist Robert Rogers, and I trust his expertise! However, if you're sensitive to them, you can de-seed the hips before drying. 

Beyond Food

Foraging for rosehips not only connects you with nature but also brings new, exciting flavors into your kitchen. These little fruits are a reminder that some of the best ingredients are found in the most unexpected places. They contain calcium, iron, magnesium, niacin, phosphorus, potassium, protein riboflavin, selenium, sodium, zinc, and vitamins A, E and C.  The complex bioflavinoids of rosehips help aid in healing both externally and internally, said to lower cholesterol and blood pressure, heal upper-respiratory illness, protect skin and internal organs, and overall reduce inflammation. 

The anti-inflammatory effects have been very interesting to me over the past few years. I've suffered from osteoarthritis since my early 20s, thanks to childhood surgeries on both hips. Rosehips contain a galactolipid that has been studied in clinical trials for anti-inflammatory effects, consistently reducing pain scores. Incidentally, traditional herbal medicine has seen rosehip used as a supplement to relieve inflammation, particularly rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis symptoms, for a long time. I haven't had the chance to give it a solid trial on myself, yet - quantity and consistency were both missing. Hoping to change that this year as I've picked more than ever before. 

I'm going to go make a cup of lovely vitamin c tea now, and hope you do the same. The next time you’re out enjoying the beauty of the fall landscape, keep an eye out for these not-so hidden gems. Your taste buds - and probably your whole body - will thank you.

An Aside*

A side note on rose hip seeds - if you have a way to extract the oil or can get your hands on rose hip seed oil, it is an incredible resource that is full of antioxidants, carotenoids and vitamins C and F, retinoic acid and phenols that help skin retain moisture, repair skin, and boost collagen synthesis. This oil, and even a very-cooked poultice of the whole hip, is an aid in wound healing and scar reduction. Basically, it is totally anti-aging and nutritive! I've been using rosehip seed oil nightly for a few years now and I absolutely notice the difference, even on healing former acne scarring. I didn't realize just how much it had helped until I was visiting a friend I had not seen in several months, and halfway through our conversation she suddenly asked, "Where are your wrinkles? Did you do botox? How in the world is your skin so smooth?!" I was chuffed, to say the least, and absolutely disclosed my 'secret weapon'.