What is a Saskatoon Berry?

Описание: We're often asked about the berries we grow on the farm.
Questions like: What is it? What does it taste like? Why would I want one? How hardy is it?
I LOVE getting these questions so this week we are going to dig deep and talk about my very favorite berry on the whole farm: The Saskatoon Berry.
Saskatoons (aka serviceberries or June berries) are a super cold-hardy plant that grows well both wild and domesticated in Alaska. They are actually much more well known in Canada where Saskatoon Pie is a staple favorite on many tables.
Saskatoon berries look like a blueberry but don't be surprised when you eat one - they taste nothing like a blueberry! They are super sweet and refreshing, although they do have quite a few seeds. Saskatoons are related to an apple so they have a much lighter flavor than blueberries.
In your garden, Saskatoons are super cold hardy and very tolerant of most northern garden condition although they do like lots of sunlight if they can get it. They can get up to 20' tall although we keep ours trimmed down to a pickable height. If you keep them trimmed they tend to bush out a bit better.
They ripen toward the end of July and continue to produce fruit for a couple of weeks at least. The darker purple they are, the sweeter they become. Birds LOVE them so keeping them netted is important if you anticipate wanting a harvest yourself. 🙂
These little berries are nutritional powerhouses! They are an amazing source of fiber, antioxidants, and even protein!
My favorite way to eat Saskatoon berries is on my homemade yogurt for breakfast. Preserving the berries is simple - you just pick them clean and toss them right into a freezer bag. No need to quick freeze them. They are so simple! I put them, frozen, directly on my homemade yogurt all winter long, typically with no sweetener but if I'm feeling decadent, I'll drizzle it with a little honey or maple syrup.
Gene loves Saskatoon pie so I am sure to can pie filling for him. They are also super yummy in pancakes and muffins. They can completely replace blueberries in any recipe but often require less sugar.
I typically preserve 15 gallons of frozen berries plus this year I plan to make at least 10 quarts of pie filling (which we also drizzle on ice cream or even put in our soaked oatmeal for breakfast).
One more thing I love is how little sugar it takes to make pie filling with Saskatoons. It's way less than most pie recipes.
We do sell Saskatoon plants here on the farm. We will also be open for U-Pick for Saskatoons at the end of the month. I'm so excited!
What is your favorite thing about these amazing plants?