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In Sarikamis, a district of Kars in northeastern Türkiye and one of the country’s highest settlements, residents are continuing the seasonal harvest of rose hips, the small fruit of the wild rose that is a staple of winter tables.
The rose hips, which grow in orange and black, are found at an altitude of 2,500 meters in the district’s Keklik Valley, Acisu and Handere areas, where they grow in their natural environment.
Local residents have been going out to pick the fruit since October, gathering it by hand from the highland areas where it grows.
After being collected from its natural setting, the fruit is dried in a cool place for about a week before it is processed further.
Once dried, the rose hips are boiled and turned into marmalade and jam, which are then filled into jars to be eaten during the winter months.
Picker Omer Ayan said that rose hips gathered in Sarikamis are very valuable and that residents also make syrup from them, describing the fruit as a rare food for winter.
Another picker, Bulent Celik, said they have started their rose hip work and are currently picking at 2,500 meters, adding that the rose hips of Sarikamis are very tasty and well known.
Some residents contribute to their household budgets by selling part of the rose hip marmalade and jam for ₺400 ($8) per kilogram, while the rest is kept for winter use.
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