Today one of our wonderful members, Allicia Geraghty, has returned with another wonderful foraging blog for us!
Foraging is the age-old practice of gathering wild plants, fungi, and other edibles. It can be a rewarding way to connect with nature, culture, and community. Foraging also promotes healthier eating, can boost your mental well-being, reduce stress levels, and cultivate a sense of accomplishment.
Essential Foraging Guidelines
Follow these guidelines to forage safely, respect the law and further sustainability.
• Identify plants with absolute certainty. Begin by researching edible plants in your area, study basic botany, join local foraging walks and take classes to learn from experts. Invest in a reliable field guide with clear pictures of edible plants. Always take this with you when you go foraging, helping you to recognize plants correctly, which is essential for your safety.
• Never harvest or eat anything that you are unable to identify or are not certain is safe to eat. Always research the plant before eating it. When in doubt, do not eat!
• Stay safe by learning how to recognize poisonous plants. Mistaking a plant for its toxic double can cause serious health problems or worse!
• Be cautious when trying new wild foods, especially if you have allergies.
• Avoid harvesting rare species, endangered or protected plants. Taking these plants can harm their survival and local ecosystems.
• Never take more than you need. Harvest no more than one third of any plant, leaving enough for wildlife and regrowth.
• Only collect where plants are in abundance.
• Avoid harvesting from areas where pesticides, herbicides or other chemicals have been applied, from industrial zones and from areas adjacent to roads, where plants have been contaminated by vehicle exhausts. Avoid areas where water and soil could be contaminated.
• Harvest respectively by seeking permission before foraging on private land. Check local laws for public spaces also.
• Do as little damage as possible to the plant and its environment.
• Be mindful of your surroundings to avoid accidents and guarantee a successful foraging experience.
• Wash and handle your foraged edibles gently to preserve quality and learn how to store them correctly.
Now enjoy the rewards of wild food foraging!
Dog Rose
Ireland’s native hedgerow plants contain a bounty of free seasonal food not just for the animals, birds and bees, but for us humans too. The hedges are extremely generous with rosehips this Autumn, which leaves plenty for foraging! This month’s plant is Dog Rose (Rosa Canina) which belongs to the Rosaceae family. The Irish name is Feirdhris.
This is the wild rose of the hedgerows, known as dog rose for its supposed ability to cure the bites of mad dogs, according to Pliny. The root was believed to cure the bite. The ancient Celts used to employ this species of rose against infected wolf-bites, as treatment for themselves and for their domestic animals.
Below: The Song of the Rose Hip Fairy from Flower Fairies of the Autumn by Cicely Mary Barker
The wild rose is used as a symbol for innocence and romance the world over. The rose has more references in Shakespeare than any other plant. Roses appear in his sonnets, associated with beauty and love.
The Dog Rose is native to Europe, widespread and common in hedgerows, thickets and open woodland, and on most soils throughout Europe. It’s a deciduous, sturdy shrub with arching thorny stems up to 3 metres high. It has delicately scented single pink and white flowers, with five petals in small clusters in summer, followed by scarlet oblong rosehips in August
Rosehips are an important source of food for pollinators, birds, squirrels, rabbits, field mice and deer. They are also a nutritious supplement for horses.
Other common names for rosehips include Itchy backs and Johnny Magorys. The seeds inside the hips are covered with irritating hairs, which children used to squish and torment each other by putting them down each other’s backs! Hence, the name Itchy backs.
Edible and Medicinal Benefits
Rosehips are used for making vinegar, tea, preserves, syrups, soup, ketchup, jams, jellies, wines, and rum.
Rose leaves are mildly laxative and diuretic and are used to make cleansing tea. The flower petals are added to salads and desserts, to make rose honey, jams and conserves.
An infusion of petals can be taken internally or applied as a wash for inflamed skin. Rosehip seed oil is a natural oil offering skin hydration, anti-aging effects, scar reduction and all-round skin health.
Research has found rosehips to be twenty times richer in vitamin C than oranges and sixty times richer than lemons!
In 1941, when supplies of citrus fruits were practically cut off, the Ministry of Health organised a collection of rosehips, and under County Herb Committees, schoolchildren and volunteers picked hundreds of tons of rosehips throughout the war. The hips were sold to chemists to be made into syrup.
Rosehips contain, apart from the large content of vitamin C, vitamin A which encourages growth in children. Hips have anti-inflammatory effects which help prevent and relieve colds, flu, sore throats, and coughs. The tannin content of rosehips makes them a gentle remedy for diarrhea. Some herbalists call rosehips “one of the best natural sources” of vitamin C.
The rosehips are ready to be harvested after the bush has lost most of its leaves in late Autumn. Some hips hang on past Christmas. The best time to harvest is preferably after the first frost, which makes them sweeter. Always be sure to harvest where plants have not been sprayed with pesticides!
CAUTION
The seeds within the hip have sharp hairs which cause irritation if eaten, so it is essential to filter through a jelly bag before making syrup.
Rosehip Syrup Recipe
Ingredients
Rosehips, Distilled Water (half the volume of rosehips), 1 cup of sugar. Honey can also be used as an alternative to sugar.
Directions
1. Remove the stalks and leaves from rosehips
2. Weigh the rosehips and combine them in a saucepan with half their volume of water.
3. Cover the saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes until the hips are soft.
4. Pour the mixture through a jelly bag or muslin cloth and strain. (I like to do this twice to be sure the hairs are removed).
5. Once liquid is strained, add to a clean saucepan and discard the pulp. (Better still, add the pulp to the compost bin).
6. Add 1 cup of sugar to the strained liquid and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved.
7. Allow to cool and pour into sterilised bottles while still hot.
8. Store in the fridge until needed and use up by spring.
This tasty rosehip syrup can be taken daily as a tonic, by the spoonful. It can also be poured over pancakes, waffles, and ice cream. Enjoy this Autumn treat!
Rosehip Tea Recipe
Long before the discovery of vitamin C, rosehip tea was used for the common cold and inflamed or bleeding gums. It was traditionally taken to cleanse the blood and ward off infection. It is a wonderful immune boosting, healthy, and delicious tea.
• One handful of rosehips is enough for one cup of tea.
• Halve the rosehips and remove the seeds.
• Place the seedless hips into a teapot, French press or cup.
• Cover with boiled water and allow to steep for 10 minutes or longer.
• Strain and enjoy!
The seedless hips can also be dried to add to your morning muesli, cereal, or porridge for an extra vitamin C boost.
This month’s book recommendation: What to look for in Autumn. A Ladybird Book. It is beautifully illustrated, showing the changes in nature during this autumn season. It’s an excellent resource for teaching children about the natural world, along with the changes of the seasons.
Please note: The information in this blog is for educational purposes only. It is not to be used to replace the advice and care of a qualified medical practitioner. Please consult with a health care provider before consuming wild plants if you have a health condition, are pregnant, breast-feeding or taking any pharmaceutical medication.
About the Author:
My name is Allicia Geraghty and I am a craft gardener, organic vegetable/ herb grower and nature lover. I have been studying wild and natural foods, organic horticulture, herbal medicine and homeopathy for over a decade. I have learned all about foraging and harvesting wild plants through self education, books, from local foraging and community groups. My interests are preserving native plants and trees, rewilding, creating medicine and cosmetics from native and wild plants, crafting, nature photography and hiking. I’m also an enormous bookworm and eager to expand my knowledge to share with others.