Juneberries emerge as the next big superfood in foraging and farming

Juneberries are gaining attention as a tasty and nutritious fruit. These native shrubs have a sweet, nutty flavour, often compared to a mix of berries with almond and cherry notes. Their popularity is growing among foragers and farmers alike. Cindy Higgerson, an artisanal jam maker in St. Louis, recently sold out of her juneberry jam in just two hours at a local farmers market. This year marks the first time her juneberry trees at Flourish Farm in Alton, Illinois, have produced a large harvest. The farm and folk school is one of the few places actively cultivating the fruit.

In Chicago, the Bloomingdale Trail has nearly three miles of juneberry shrubs lining its path. Bonnie Tawse, a local nature educator, collects the berries from the trail for her cookbook. Meanwhile, Bill Davison of the Savanna Institute is working to encourage more farms to grow juneberries and similar crops for commercial use. The demand for juneberries is rising as more people discover their unique taste and health benefits. Efforts to expand their cultivation could soon make them a more common sight in markets and kitchens.