How To Forage and Use Juneberries

Juneberries (June berries), saskatoon berries, serviceberries... So many different names for such an underrated berry! These sweet little berries are great for saskatoon berry jam and so much more! If you're interested in making salve, check out my dandelion salve recipe!

Whatever you want to call these little berries is up to you, be it Juneberry, Saskatoon, or Serviceberry. But how can you find them? What do they taste like? What can you use them for? We'll cover all those questions and more!

What Are June Berries?

Juneberries are sweet and juicy, containing tiny soft seeds with an almond-like flavor. Though their appearance closely resembles that of blueberries, their flavor is milder.

Some say these berries look like tiny crabapples, while others compare them to rose hips. That would make more sense since they are part of the Rose family.

In Canada, these purple berries are known as saskatoons and are grown in the Canadian prairies. These beautiful berries have many other names including western serviceberry, sarvisberry, juneberries, prairie berries, shadbush, shadwood, and chuckley pear. Why so many names? I couldn't tell you!

One particular name, however, has an interesting story to go with it. The flowers bloom in early spring, which, in the olden days, was an indication that the ground had thawed enough to bury the dead and hold their services, hence the name “service-berries."

When do you pick Juneberries?

The serviceberry, despite being abundant and easy to pick, receives little recognition compared to the more celebrated wild blueberry. However, they were valued by Native Americans, who would gather and dry them for winter.

Serviceberries are among the first trees (or large shrubs) to bloom in spring, with distinctive white flowers. However, depending on your location, these berries are usually ready to harvest from June (hence the name Juneberry) to early August.

Foraging Tips

Although the red berries are good, waiting for them to turn a deep purple (the color of blueberries) ensures the berries are much sweeter. Another way to determine if the berries are ripe is to see how easily they come off the branch. If they're ripe, they will practically fall into your hand as soon as you touch them. If you have to yank on the berries to pick them, they are not ready!

When foraging saskatoons, I like to include some of the less ripe red berries, which offer a delicious tart flavor to balance the sweetness of the fully ripened berries. This is especially beneficial when making jam, jelly, or a pie because the less ripe berries have more pectin which helps with jelling. Be sure to leave some for the wildlife (birds, bears, and deer love them).

How Can I Use Juneberries?

You can use June berries in practically any of your favorite recipes that call for blueberries, raspberries, or strawberries, but why stop there? Here are some more ideas:

• Use them to make saskatoon jam or mixed berry jam
• Make Saskatoon jelly
• Use them to make Saskatoon or mixed berry wine
• Dry the berries and use them in tea
• Use them to make Saskatoon pie
• Blend them into a smoothie
• Bake them into muffins or pancakes
• Use them to make serviceberry syrup to pour over ice cream

What Are The Benefits Of Juneberries?

Juneberries are full of nutritional benefits! Not only are they a great source of iron, but they're also rich in antioxidants and essential vitamins.

Because they're a good source of vitamin C, they were used, historically, to prevent diseases such as scurvy. Juneberries also provide fiber, which can aid healthy digestion.

"Flavonoid compounds in Saskatoon berries, in particular flavanol, anthocyanin, and proanthocyanin, possess anti-inflammatory, antitumor, and antidiabetes impacts...With further research, SB has the potential to help treat and prevent diabetes in the future." PubMed

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