Serviceberries Gain Popularity among Midwest Farmers and Food Lovers

By Andi Anderson

Serviceberries, also known as juneberries, are a native fruit in North America that are slowly attracting attention among farmers and food producers in the Midwest. These berries, once commonly found in the wild, are now being grown on farms and used in local food products.

Crystal Moore-Stevens, co-owner of Flourish Farm and Folk School in Illinois, has planted many serviceberry trees on her farm. “When we first moved to this property, we invested in dozens and dozens and dozens of serviceberry trees,” she said. “This is the first year that they’re really putting on lots and lots of fruit.”

The growing harvest has also helped local businesses. Cindy Higgerson, owner of Larder and Cupboard, a small-batch jam company in St. Louis, uses serviceberries in her products. When she could not find enough berries through foraging, she sourced them from Moore-Stevens’ farm. Describing their flavor, Higgerson said, “They taste like a combination of berries, I think, with the seeds in there tasting sort of like almond.” She added, “It almost gives it notes of cherry in there.”

Experts believe serviceberries have strong potential. Bill Davison, who works on crop commercialization at the Savanna Institute, highlighted their benefits. “It’s a native shrub, it’s highly nutritious, it tastes great,” he said. He also noted that consumer awareness is important, as cheaper berries dominate the market.

Although serviceberries are widely grown in Canada, they are still rare on U.S. farms. This is partly because the U.S. agricultural system focuses more on major crops like corn and soybeans rather than specialty fruits.

Madeline Wimmer, a fruit production educator at the University of Minnesota Extension, said that awareness is key. She pointed out environmental advantages and encouraged local consumption. “I’m always kind of pushing for the idea of having native berries in smoothie bowls, because we oftentimes see acai in smoothie bowls,” she said. “Acai is great. But if we’re thinking about lowering the carbon footprint and kind of celebrating what we have here, we’ve got a lot of things.”

With their short harvest season, serviceberries offer a unique and seasonal treat, giving people another reason to explore this native fruit.

Photo Credit: gettyimages-sisoje