It’s saskatoon berry season! If you’ve never tried saskatoon berries before, you’re missing out. Lucky for us we were blessed with two saskatoon berry bushes when we moved into our first home. A warm thank you to our previous owners.

Originating in the Canadian Prairies, saskatoon berries are red in colour and become maroon when ripe. In my opinion, they taste like a cross between wild blueberries and cherries, mildly sweet and bursting in flavour! I’ve added them to my smoothies, yogurts, and have even made a chia jam with them. Let’s be honest though, my favourite way to eat them is directly off the bush!

The peak season for saskatoon berries is end of June, which is when we first started seeing our berries appear. Because they ripen quickly (ie. in less than a week), you have to act fast. If not, they’ll shrivel up and no longer be edible. The good news is the berries don’t all ripen at the same time. They’re also easy to harvest. Simply pluck them off the branch when they’re maroon!

Neighbours walking their dogs were curious as to what we were doing on our ladder late in the afternoon. We were happy to give them a sample during their walks and most were pleasantly surprised by their taste!

Where does its name come from? Saskatoon berry is actually derived from the word “misâskwatômina,” which translates to “the fruit of the tree of many branches,” in Cree. It is said that the Cree were the first people to discover it.

Rich in immune-boosting vitamin C and protective antioxidants, saskatoon berries are one of the many berries you can start introducing into your diet. I sometimes see them at the farmer’s markets in late June/early July, but why not take a stab at growing your own bush? Here’s a great guide to get you started!

Now, go hunting for these fresh berries before they’re out of season!