OVID, N.Y. — Juneberry Farm, located in Willard, NY is the largest producer of this native fruit in New York State. Juneberries are a deep blue fruit classified with apples and pears rather than berries because the single soft seed, which lends an almond taste to the otherwise cherry-like fruit, sits inside a barely noticeable core. For those curious about Juneberries, Guy Lister, owner of Juneberry Farm is joining with Seneca County Cornell Cooperative Extension to host a Juneberry Festival on Thursday, June 20th from 5-7 PM at 6960 1st Street, Ovid, NY (Willard).
Come to Juneberry Farm on Thursday the 20th to grab dinner from the Silo Mac Express food truck, try some Juneberries and see if this old-time fruit will become your new favorite. (Courtesy Photo)Visitors can discover recipes and information about Juneberries, sample the fruit, tour the farm, pick their own, and try Juneberry pie. The Silo Mac Food Express Food Truck will be available for dinner during the festival and Christ Episcopal Church will have a bake sale booth. Live music will also be provided as part of the Church’s Lake Country Hometown Music Series, supported by the Delavan Foundation.
Native throughout North America, Juneberries are also known as Saskatoons (primarily in Canada), shadbush, Alleghany serviceberry, and sugar pear in other parts of their range. Juneberries were staples for native North Americans and saved European settlers from scurvy. They are once again being recognized for their high nutritional value. These hardy plants are extremely cold tolerant and prefer to grow in orchards or fields that look a wilderness rather than a manicured orchard.
According to Guy Lister of Juneberry Farm, “The popularity of the Juneberry fruit has increased as more people become aware of them. Given the short window they are available, the major difficulty of the crop is providing enough fruit to meet the demand.” Juneberries have a short season compared to other fruits, which can span weeks. Come to Juneberry Farm on Thursday the 20th to grab dinner from the Silo Mac Express food truck, try some Juneberries and see if this old-time fruit will become your new favorite.
Visitors are asked to wear appropriate shoes for walking on potentially uneven ground, bring a lawn chair to enjoy the live music and please leave their dogs at home. For further information, contact Seneca County CCE’s Agricultural Economic Development Specialist Judy Wright at (315) 539-9251 ext. 109 or jlw24@cornell.edu.
Celebrating 100 years of serving the people of the County, Seneca County Cornell Cooperative Extension puts to practical use the scholarship and research of Cornell University and the national land grant system in the areas of agriculture and food systems sustainability; nutrition, food safety and security, and obesity prevention; 4-H youth development, and children, youth , and families; environment and natural resources, sustainable energy and climate change; and community and economic vitality. The office is located at 308 Main Street Shop Centre in Waterloo. For more information about this and other programs, please contact us at 315-539-9251 or email seneca@cornell.edu.
–Cornell Cooperative Extension
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