By Shelly Patterson 

Anarchist Mountain in July — prime Saskatoon season. 

Every July, a quiet excitement stirs along the trails and backroads of Anarchist Mountain. It’s Saskatoon berry season — that sweet, short window when the bushes burst with deep purple fruit, and I find myself scanning the trails around our home with the same kind of focus one might expect from a truffle pig. 

Saskatoons aren’t flashy. The berries don’t shout for attention like a ripe peach or a gleaming cherry. But to those of us who grew up around them, or who’ve come to know them through hikes and foraging adventures, they hold a kind of quiet magic. 

Saskatoon berries growing wild along the mountain trails. 

The shrubs thrive in the dry, well-drained soils of the mountain, often appearing where you least expect them — at the edge of a rock bluff, tucked behind a stand of pine or fir, or lining the gravel roads in full sun. I always carry a small container on our hikes this time of year, but I must admit- most of them don’t make it into the container. It’s our favourite kind of breakfast on our morning walk-finding the biggest, sweet berries and then heading off to find more. 

There’s something deeply nostalgic about the taste. Nutty, lightly sweet with an almost an almond taste. As a kid, I ate them straight off the bush, warm from the sun but on the mountain they are so much bigger and much more abundant. So yes-I am still eating them right off the bush and now my partner is as well. These days, I might bring them home to sprinkle on yogurt or tuck into a pie — though more often than not, they get eaten by the handful before I make it through the front door. 

Fresh-picked Saskatoons — hard to resist eating them right away. 

Beyond being delicious, Saskatoons (Amelanchier alnifolia, if you want to get botanical about it and fun fact is part of the rose family) are packed with antioxidants and were once a staple for Indigenous communities across the prairies. Named the Service Berry- the berries were collected and dried, added in pemmican or stored for winter — something I always mean to try, but never quite manage. Fresh is just too tempting. 

For me, Saskatoon berries are more than a seasonal treat. They’re a reminder of where I live — of breathtaking mountain views, big skies, and the quiet abundance that Anarchist Mountain offers when I’m paying attention. So if you’re out walking and see those blue orbs dotting the bushes, take a moment. Taste one-or many. Just watch for bears — they love them too.