Review by: Patricia O’Brien, Colorado Master Gardener, 2018

I became fascinated with Amelanchier or serviceberry bush when I learned that it is native to North America, has showy white spring blooms, produces delicious berries to top my ice cream, is a good pollinator for butterflies and birds and, according to CSU’s Plant Talk #1213, is both extremely cold hardy and drought tolerant. What more could you ask for in one plant species?

So, it would not be surprising to read that I was inclined to be grateful for what Robin Wall Kimmerer, of Braiding Sweetgrass popularity, had to say about the serviceberry. The short book begins with a description of the plant and its gifts such as those already described. But it quickly transitions to its major themes: reciprocity and the value of the gift economy. The Serviceberry is packed with many ideas to contemplate and appreciate, reminding us as an analogue to the serviceberry itself, of all that surrounds us that is freely given in both the natural world and in our everyday lives. These gifts from multiple sources and avenues enrich us beyond what money can buy in the marketplace in both observed and unobserved ways. Kimmerer’s many examples contrast with our market model in which she argues we focus too heavily on concepts such as scarcity, supply and demand, and hoarding due to the fear of not getting or having enough.

Our Colorado Master Gardener program system of volunteer service operates as a gift economy. We share seeds, cuttings, know-how, and experience with each other and the Pueblo County community without expecting compensation or worry about how much time is enough. We exchange a wealth of gifts and the currency among us is relationship and perhaps, the common good that results.

Read The Serviceberry and feel better about our current moment by thinking of what you could freely share with your neighbor or someone else to expand your delight as the giver and theirs in its receipt. I will leave The Serviceberry in the CMG helpline office so you can enjoy it and pass the gift forward or check it out at your local library branch (another example of the gift economy). I am sure it will deepen your gratitude for all those gifts that come your way including the color and taste of The Serviceberry itself.