Mother Nature cranked the outdoor thermostat down earlier than usual this fall. She seems to share our grumpiness over uncertain times. While it’s sad to see summer, and its glorious bounty, screech to a halt, there is just as rich of a bounty ahead. You just have to don your rain slicker and rubber boots to pick ’em. Believe it or not, frost is actually good for some foods.

Rose hips

These, along with carrots and Brussels sprouts, are best after a freeze. Rose hips are the green buds that swell at the base of the flower after the petals drop and eventually turn red. Wild or garden hips (even petals) are edible, (although not if they’ve been sprayed with pesticides). Wild roses are found in sunny areas on roadsides and along the coast. Or, you can grow Rosa rugosa in your garden. Just don’t deadhead them!

These relatives of apples, plums and blackberries can be a homegrown substitute for citrus because they contain up to 40 percent more vitamin C than an orange, 25 times more vitamin A, 25 percent more iron, and 38 percent more calcium, with bonus bioflavanoids, vitamins E and B, selenium and manganese. The skin of the bulb packs the nutrients, while the interior is packed with seeds and silky hairs. They’re used fresh or dried and most commonly in tea, jelly or syrup. Information on harvesting and using them abound on the Internet and in books on edible flowers.

Swiss chard

Chard is available spring through summer, but is often ignored in favor of the more flamboyant summer stars. With simple protection, you can keep chard growing in your garden all winter. And why not? It’s a powerhouse of nutrients with almost 400 percent of the daily requirement of vitamin K (for bone health), and an excellent source of vitamins A, C, E, magnesium, manganese, potassium, iron and fiber, plus good a good source of B-vitamins, protein and other minerals. A relative of beets (hence the slightly bitter flavor) and spinach, chard is a head-turner with its flashy red, orange, yellow, gold or white stems below big, green savoyed leaves that often boast colorful veins. Steam, sautee or juice them, stuff them for wraps or in lieu of cabbage leaves drenched in roasted tomatoes or chop them raw with other greens in salad. You might feel a curious urge to do cartwheels after digesting all those vitamins and minerals.

Wheat and beans

In spite of the abundance of local foods you read about in Jan Roberts-Dominguez’s columns and mine, there are notable gaps on our plates for two staples: grains, especially wheat flour for bread, pastries and pastas and dried beans. Can they be grown here? Commercially, for local distribution? By home gardeners? Learn about the challenges and successes from people who are trying to grow them for themselves or the community. This free event occurs from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday at the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library, 645 N.W. Monroe Ave. You’ll see samples of home grain grinders and a portable bean, grain and seed cleaner.

Fresh Sheet alerts readers to the seasonal foods that make the mid-Willamette Valley such a rich culinary area. Through tips from farmers, ranchers, fishers, cheese-makers and other food producers, as well as chefs and restaurateurs, Chris Peterson tracks what’s flowing from soil and sea to local plates. Contact her at localfood@peak.org.