Summary

The third section of Braiding Sweetgrass is called “Picking Sweet Grass.” “Epiphany in the Beans” opens this section with an inquiry into how humans can be certain that the earth loves them back. For Kimmerer, beans are a perfect example of demonstrable earth love, since they and their seeds are given to humans to help sustain them, as an act of generosity from the earth. Kimmerer points out that if humans, who often claim to love the earth, could feel more certain that the earth loved them back by observing the acts of love the earth performs, then they would be less inclined to disregard the earth’s wellbeing.

“The Three Sisters” is named after corn, beans, and squash, the three plants relied on by indigenous communities in the United States for centuries. Kimmerer returns to the theme of reciprocity by pointing out...