Geesh, it’s been awhile since I last posted, and for good reason too! A lot has changed in my life since my last post. I moved to a new part of Vermont and built a house there, got a new job, and had a kid! One thing that hasn’t changed is my love for foraging and the natural world. However, since I no longer live in Stowe, I think a name change is in order for this site, so stay tuned!
I now live in Huntington, Vermont – right at the base of the mighty Camels Hump. So climate wise, not a whole lot has changed, but it is definitely a bit warmer here then Stowe due to Huntington’s proximity to the Champlain Valley. OK, enough of the life updates already, let’s get right into a new forgeable food.
Juneberry, Shadbush, Serviceberry and Saskatoon are among the plethora of common names used when speaking about the genus of Amelanchier. Serviceberry is said to have gotten it’s name due to the days of old America. When the ground was finally soft enough to bury those that died fighting in the service, the serviceberry would be in bloom. Shadbush got it’s name due to the coincidental timing of the Shad run and the shadbush bloom. Shad is a fish that breeds in freshwater, then migrates up rivers and streams in the spring. Saskatoon is the Canadian version, and comes from the native Cree word misaskwatomina, which refers to the purple fruiting berry. And lastly, Juneberry got its name due to the berries being ready to pick in June. I like this last name best for our area, since it seems the most relevant.
The bloom of this shrub/tree is the first naturally occurring bloom of any tree or shrub in the foothills of Camels Hump Vermont. It is quickly followed by cherries and then apples, but the Juneberry comes first. It is now mid May, and most of the petals are off the trees/shrubs and the fruiting process is beginning. The fruit is sweet and delicious. To learn more about Amelanchier, follow this link!
