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On this week's premiere broadcast of Mountain Stage, host Kathy Mattea welcomes The Steel Wheels, Sam Weber, Peter Holsapple, Lily Talmers, and Rylee Bapst Band to the Memorial Auditorium in Athens, OH.
The rose hip is the accessory fruit of the various species of rose plants. Whether the pride of your garden is the English rose, American rose, vintage rose, or Multiflora rose, all are producing rose hips that are edible if, of course, not sprayed with pesticides.
Chuck Kleine
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Rose hips of the multi floral rose
Since rose hips are in the same family as apples (Rosaceae), they’re packed with a ton of vitamin C. In England, these sweet “false fruits” are popular in making tea, jam and syrup.
The best time to pick rose hips is after the first frost. You do want to remove the seeds because they contain hair that are actually used as an ingredient in itching powder!
Chuck Kleine
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A bowl of rose hips ready to be dried
When preparing a tea, keep a few things in mind. Dry them whole to avoid the hairs. Drying them in the oven with a temp of 100 F will draw out the flavor and preserve the vitamin C. And dry them until brittle; this could take 3-12 hours. Steep in hot water for 10-15 minutes and then strain with a coffee filter to enjoy a delicious and healthy cup of tea. And don’t forget dried rose hips can be stored for months, sealed in a jar and kept in a dry, cool place.
So next year instead of dead heading your roses, you may want to think twice so you can gather the rose hips for delicious and healthy tea, jam and syrup throughout the winter months.
EDIBLE MOUNTAIN – Rose hips
Edible Mountain is a bite-sized, digital series from WVPB that showcases some of Appalachia’s overlooked and underappreciated products of the forest while highlighting their mostly forgotten uses. The series features experts, from botanists to conservationists, who provide insight on how to sustainably forage these delicacies. It also explores the preparation of these amazing delectables, something that many could achieve in the home kitchen.
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The hillbilly stereotype is frequently used to shame mountain people, but there are gentler versions, like Snuffy Smith, the long-running comic strip character. Snuffy Smith originally started out as a supporting character in his comic strip, which first launched in 1919 when Billy DeBeck created Barney Google. Artist Fred Lasswell was brought in during the ‘30s to create Snuffy Smith and his friends. And now the strip is written and drawn by John Rose, who lives in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley.
"Verity Vox and the Curse of Foxfire" is a young adult novel set in Appalachia. Written by West Virginia native Don Martin, the book follows the story of a witch-in-training who uses her magic to help a forgotten mountain coal town. It was an instant New York Times bestseller after it was released last year. Inside Appalachia Producer Bill Lynch spoke with Martin about the book and his podcast "Head on Fire."
This week, having a very specific talent can lead to a dream job. It’s how cartoonist John Rose got his foot in the door to draw the comic strip Snuffy Smith. Also, there are dos and don’ts for treating poison ivy. And, a young, old-time musician wants to save her family’s lost ballads.
For nearly 100 years, Snuffy Smith has been a staple of newspaper comic pages, though these days, it’s easier to find him online. Snuffy Smith was brought to life by artist Fred Lasswell in the 1930s, but now the strip is written and drawn by John Rose, who lives in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. Inside Appalachia host Mason Adams spoke to Rose about drawing the famous hillbilly.