Sloes?

[Two_Sheds]

People are very unsure of what they can safely eat: I had one little girl who nearly convinced me that cabbages aren't fit for human consumption, they're only for rabbits

[Shadylane]

The more I learn about foraging the more I'm surprised. It seems there's very little that's poisonous. I'm sure my mum once told me that rosehips were poisonous. I was convinced they were well into adulthood. I didn't realise that those scary bright red/orange berries you see all over - what I now know to be of the rowan tree - are in fact not deadly poisonous but edible if prepped and made into drinks and what have you.

I think sloes/plums/bullaces are one of the easiest to id and the hardest to get wrong. The more you see the more confident you are. I've started being able to spot damson trees just by the leaves. On closer inspection I may see the odd one high up as confirmation and logged it for return next year. Hardly any plums that I know of but damsons seem to be everywhere.

[VirginVegGrower]

Rosehips are the big fat ones on Rosa Rugosa hedging. They have pink or white very fragrant smelling flowers. I will post some piccies from my garden. The seeds are not good and are surrounded by hairy things which irritate your stomach and will give you an urgent need to go to the toilet, but the flesh can be made into syrup. Beware the little maggot though...

[VirginVegGrower]

Rosehips - foraging

These are the pictures to help you identify, but heed the advice above about seeds, hairy irritant bits and maggots. If you still insist upon going there, these are what you need to look for.

[Shadylane]

Thanks Yeah we have loads of rosehips round here. I really can't be bothered to make stuff with them though - I don't have that much time on me hands what with sloes/damsons/blackberries (still haven't picked em yet) but there's shed loads of the other purple fruits sitting in the kitchen waiting for me to do something with them.

I think me mum only told me they were poisonous so I wouldn't pick and eat which would have been unpleasant I suppose. I was only little, but she really should have told me 'you can't eat them but you can make them into stuff' so I didn't grow up thinking they were evil. Parents

[VirginVegGrower]

Thanks Yeah we have loads of rosehips round here. I really can't be bothered to make stuff with them though - I don't have that much time on me hands what with sloes/damsons/blackberries (still haven't picked em yet) but there's shed loads of the other purple fruits sitting in the kitchen waiting for me to do something with them.

I think me mum only told me they were poisonous so I wouldn't pick and eat which would have been unpleasant I suppose. I was only little, but she really should have told me 'you can't eat them but you can make them into stuff' so I didn't grow up thinking they were evil. Parents

You can eat them but you have to avoid the middle with the seeds and hairs, so it was pretty good advice to a child, especially when they look like glace cherries.

[Two_Sheds]

Rosehips are the big fat ones on Rosa Rugosa

and the slimmer ones on rosa canina

[Snadger]

What can you DO with sloe's apart from making slow gin or possibly sloe wine?

I don't drink alcohol so am quite limited!

Jams/preserves etc I do make!

PS I have access to loads of sloes if I want them.

[hamamelis]

Sloe jelly? That's the only other recipe I know of- and they're not so bad cooked, if you mix 'em with sweet stuff.

[VirginVegGrower]

and the slimmer ones on rosa canina

Not great for syrup

[Shadylane]

I heard rosa canina were the best type to use. Huh. Snadger I hear you can make them into chutney though it would be a pain removing the stones. You could pick them and then sell em on ebay (?)

[Snadger]

I heard rosa canina were the best type to use. Huh. Snadger I hear you can make them into chutney though it would be a pain removing the stones. You could pick them and then sell em on ebay (?)

When boiling plums the stones float to the surface so hopefully sloe stones would do the same?

[oldie]

As a kid I remember that each class had a competition every year to see who could pick the most rose hips from the hedgerow. We got paid as well!

[Ananke]

I'm having the same problem, don't know for sure if these are sloes.

[VirginVegGrower]

Been collecting sloes today - big thorns? It is the fruit of the blackthorn. Looks like it in picture 1. Can see big spikes.