Summary

The book begins with Kimmerer recalling a day she spent picking berries on a neighbor’s farm alongside many birds who were also enjoying the berries. Kimmerer felt that the abundance of the fruit was a gift and she felt grateful for it. Kimmerer is picking Serviceberries, whose Latin name is Amelanchier arborea, that were planted by her neighbors Ed and Paulie. Serviceberry is a calendar plant. The author reflects on how the cycles of nature used to guide human food consumption but that now people expect to be able to access any kind of food at any time of the year.

The author reflects that, although the etymological root of the name Serviceberry is not connected to the modern meaning of the word “service,” they can nevertheless be seen as being in service of the ecosystem they are a part of. It creates...