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starmac
08-25-2014, 03:39 PM
With our crazy work schedule, my wife mentioned that we hadn't got to do anything together yesterday. We needed more berries anyway, so I told her to pack an ice chest and we would go pick some berries. I loaded the wheelers, she has only ever ridden my AC (automatic) once in the driveway, so when we unloaded them I put her on my old honda which is easier to handle by far, but is standard shift. We started out on an old logging road, bad ruts, but otherwise pretty easy riding and by the time we got to the end of it and hit some pretty intense trail, she had mastered it pretty well. She handled it like a pro and had a ball.

We rode 36 miles, and fixed sandwiches at the turn around point, which was a few miles from the end of the road. While I was chowing down on my sandwich (in the rain), I noticed a shiny piece of brass in the grass, and found 12 nice 270 cases (bonus).
We stopped several times on the way back and picked berries (in the rain), but only wound up with about a gallon of high bush cranberries.

We got back to the pickup at 9 pm, cold and wet and a little saddle sore, but she said she could not remember having that much fun.
My grandkids are in the process of moving up from florida, and the girls 12 and 13 have been chomping at the bit wanting four wheelers, so ever since thye have decided to make the move up, I have been on the lookout for a couple of affordable older hondas for them. On the way back to town my lovely little wife mentions, we could just get one and give them MY honda and get her a new one.
58 years old, and now she decides she wants to take up back country four wheeling. lol

Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks. (if I want her to know I called her a dog, I will tell her myself) lol

1Shirt
08-25-2014, 03:45 PM
One of the big things I miss about Alaska and the Fairbanks is picking blueberries, cranberries, and rose hips. Brought back some good memories Starmac, Thanks!!!!!
1 Shirt!

starmac
08-25-2014, 05:04 PM
OK. You can educate me, we have never picked rose hips (and they are plentyfull). Wife does not know anything about them, did you make jelly or how did you use them? Any tricks we should know?

Bzcraig
08-25-2014, 08:41 PM
After 30 years of marriage and at age 61 my wife decided she loves shooting. She liked the four wheelers when we had them though.

TXGunNut
08-25-2014, 09:27 PM
Sounds like a wonderful time, thanks for sharing with us. Brightened up my day considerably!

Bullwolf
08-26-2014, 01:32 AM
OK. You can educate me, we have never picked rose hips (and they are plentyfull). Wife does not know anything about them, did you make jelly or how did you use them? Any tricks we should know?

1. Cut off the bloom at the stem after the first fall frost. Make sure the rose hips are red and ripe, instead of orange (unripe) or a dark red (overripe).

2. Remove the bloom stem and cut the rose hip in half. Remove any remnants of the flower itself.

3. Scrape out the pith (hairy part) and the seeds. Rinse and soak the rose hips in cold water for two hours before using them to make teas and jellies. Be careful when scraping out the hairs because they can irritate your skin. The rose hip hairs were actually once used as the base for itching powder.

4. Dry the rose hips instead of using them fresh. Rinse and pat dry the whole rose hips. Spread them out on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper and allow them to dry for two to three weeks. (You can also use a food dehydrator) If you take a very long time drying the rose hips, the Vitamin C content decreases.

I harvest my wild roses hips, and a few from the domesticated ones I grow because they are pleasant to look at. Don't harvest rose hips if you use pesticides on your domestic roses.

You can apparently make many different things with rose hips like: teas, jams/jellies, pickles, rose hip soup, alcoholic drinks (Cockta, Pálinka), sauces, salads, syrup, pies, use it as a seasoning, and they can even be canned. You should avoid using aluminum cookware with them though, as it degrades the Vitamin C content in the rose hips.

I personally have only made Rose Hip tea with harvested rose hips. I'd always heard it was high in Vitamin C. (Supposedly 20 times more Vitamin C than an orange)

I remember that Vitamin C tablets with rose hips used to be quite popular.

Apparently rose hips were also used during World War 2 as a source of Vitamin C for children.

Cooking Alaskan by Alaskans - Has a simple Rose hip syrup recipe.
http://homecooking.about.com/od/fruitrecipes/r/blfruit9.htm
Wash rose hips thoroughly. Remove stems and flower remnants. Boil hips and water for 20 minutes in a covered saucepan. Strain through a jelly bag. Return clear juice to kettle. Add sugar. Stir well and boil five minutes. Refrigerate until used.

At least I won't get scurvy this Winter.

Maybe some others can chime in with their favorites uses. You can find a few more unique recipes online with some searching.



- Bullwolf

Wayne Smith
08-26-2014, 09:34 PM
Remember that the Apple is decended from the rose.

tommag
08-26-2014, 10:48 PM
I like to pick rose hips in January or February, when they have freeze dried completely. I make a tea by steeping them for a while and then straining. A shot of blackberry brandy or sloe gin in a cup of tea is a real nice hot drink.