Serviceberry
Cree: misaskwatomin | Ojibwe: gozigwaakomin | Potawatomi: bozakmin
Serviceberries may have many names (Saskatoon, Juneberry, Shadbush, Shadblow, Sugarplum, Sarvis) but they all share the same sweet taste. Unlike many of the fruit Toronto’s urban orchard has to offer, serviceberry is Indigenous to this part of Turtle Island, and the berries were not the only part of the plant eaten: leaves, petals and small stems have been boiled and consumed as beverages. They produce clusters of white flowers that bloom from April to June, and small red to dark purple blueberry-like berries that grow on small shrubs (less than one storey tall). Read about the serviceberry’s role in Indigenous wisdom in The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer.
Readiness
Ripe between mid June to mid July
Ripe serviceberries are soft and detach easily from the tree. Berries should be dark red, purple, and/or blue. The darker the colour of the fruit, the higher sugar content, so a dark purple berry will taste much sweeter than a red one! Underripe serviceberries are bright red or white.
Harvesting
Average yield 50 to 200 lbs
Hand-picking is best as the berries are small and fragile. Break away the entire bunch from the tree. Once the bunches have been removed, wrap your hand around the bunch of berries and gently slide your hand down, popping each berry off. You can also vibrate (not shake!) the branches over a taut tarp.
Storing and Eating
Underripe serviceberries will continue to ripen off the tree, so strip the stems, and leave them at room temperature or place them in a paper bag to ripen within 1-2 days. Keep an eye on the berries as they can go from unripe to rotten quickly!
Store in the fridge in a shallow container. Wash only before eating by submerging in a bowl of water.
To freeze, wash and let dry. Freeze on a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to a bag or container. Frozen berries are best used for baking and cooking, and can be used without thawing. Use within a year.