It is not too early to start looking for some Juneberry patches to harvest this summer.
As many of you know, this native North Dakota plant produces highly sought-after fruits. Juneberries can be found across the state, particularly in woods, draws, and open hillsides, so most everyone should be able to find access to Juneberries for harvesting. And although this plant is known as Juneberry, in North Dakota it would be more accurately known a Julyberry.
Most North Dakotans know the plant as Juneberry, but it is also known as serviceberry or Saskatoon. Botanists known it as Amelanchier alnifolia. This member of the rose family is a single-stemmed shrub or small tree that grows to around 12 feet tall. The leaves are alternate, simple, about 1-2 inches long and broadly rounded with fine teeth. Juneberry produces flowers in May. The subsequent fruits resemble a small blueberry, and are often ready for harvest perhaps in late June but more typically in July.
Juneberry pie, as the saying goes, “is to die for.” So is Juneberry ice cream. Juneberries can also be used to make some tasty jams, jellies, and syrups. And if all that is too much work, just add a few Juneberries to your vanilla ice cream.
Some of you may remember the book “Stalking the Wild Asparagus” by Euell Gibbons from the 1970s. He has a whole chapter on Juneberries, and pretty well sums it up when he describes the most common use of Juneberries in his book: “Most people who have made the acquaintance of the Juneberry need no instructions on how to use the fruit, but merely stand by the bush or tree and stuff themselves.”
So, go collect some Juneberries this summer. It can be a fun and rewarding experience for everyone, maybe even more than you would expect. A while back, my wife Mary took our granddaughter, Jane, out to collect some Juneberries. The conversations flew freely. Needless to say, they had a fun time. Enjoying those Juneberries with ice cream was great, and so are the memories.
One final note. If you are unable to find some Juneberries to harvest (or even if you can), you may want to try some commercially available Juneberry products (e.g., jams, jellies, syrups, ice cream), some of which are North Dakota products. Check the stores in your area.
