Frank

From Wildroots

Frank Cook, plant enthusiast, Duke graduate, has spent the last ten years following his passion for being a repository of plant knowledge. Studying with herbalists, shamen, doctors, professors, and medicine men around the world, he has been initiated into many ways of walking with plants. Frank has developed a deep-rooted network of people whose lives are consciously intermingled with plants, healing, and ways to create a better world. He leads a simple life communicating, teaching, reflecting, & delving deeper into the mysteries of the plant kingdom & our place in the web of life.

Though Frank Cook feels his roots in Appalachia, his quest to meet the every plant family in the world has led him to Africa, India, and South America, meeting healers and visiting sacred places along the way. Building on a B.S. from Duke University, Frank was trained as a clinical herbalist at the Northeast School of Botanical Medicine in 1995. In Spring 2001, Frank walked across North Carolina, observing nature and foraging edibles as he went. Frank approaches plants as friends, teaching others to make plants their allies and food their medicine.

Contents 1 Frank's Updates 1.1 August 19, 2006 1.2 December 2005 1.3 August 1, 2005 1.4 May 2005 1.5 Feb 7, 2005 1.6 Spring 2004 2 Frank's Resume

Frank's Updates

August 19, 2006

Later Summer Check In and Looking Ahead to Autumn

My Dear Family,

I write to you on the eve of my departure to Peru to join James Duke and a dozen others to explore the wonders of the Amazon Jungle and then onward to further lessons in the Andes. This will be my fourth time down there and I wonder what lessons will be taught to me. I do not know about you all but time seems to be accelerating at an amazing pace and it is taking all my focus to stay in the flow and keep open a channel to nature’s plan for us.

As we dance into the dog days of summer I encourage you to maintain balance and cultivate kindness and compassion. Keep up daily encounters with nature. Eat something wild every day!

I have had an amazing summer in so many respects and have had quality time with hundreds of us growing together. I have been about America checking in on our shared visions. Oh, these are the worst of times and the best of times! I feel blessed to be alive and to know you all.

From my comment last letter about turning off the fridge, I received a number of memorable replies hearing how some of us go without that convenience and others are planning to. I was reminded that this is only a small step and we need to go much deeper. One statistic that affected me is that 15% of our energy use goes into phantom uses (i.e. all those energies that run from the turned off plugged in devices with readouts like stereos, microwaves, tv’s, computers….on and on). Get in the habit of unplugging when not using. Better yet, how many of them can you get rid of?

Upon my return to turtle island there are a number of opportunities for us to get together. Check out the current plans below. I hope to see you then!

Paz,

Frank

PS Below the schedule is a recipe for my version of Kim Chi

plantnettalk@yahoo.com

1119 Old Greensboro Road

Chapel Hill, NC 27516

December 2005

“Over the next 30-50 years, the planet will yield its final drops of oil. Oil is the blood of western economies and society and is the defining resource of the dominant tribe. Oil will top out within 15 years and prices will begin to rise rapidly. Institutions of the western cultures will crack and crumble. Those of us that have knowledge of the Earth's capacity for food, energy, shelter will be in high demand. January 1, 2006 is the time to go within and choose the focus of your teaching and writing. April 27th-May 2nd, we will share our teaching paths with each other and refine our mission. The one great oil nation will split into many tribes and we can help them prepare for a collaborative rather than a competitive relationship with Gaia."- Tim Toben, a founder of the PME.

Becoming One with the Mud: A Costa Rican Plant Adventure

I had not visioned I would visit Central America when 2005 began, but on the invitation of my friend, Tenasi, I began to consider it. He laid before me his vision of a walk from the mountains toward the ocean over a week’s time with a circle of people learning to be conscious guardians of Eden. My role would be that of plant guide. This all sounded wonderful and everything began to fall into place. I traveled to CR the beginning of December for 2 weeks and felt my expectations were met and, indeed, exceeded! Check out pictures from our trip, other peoples’ accounts of the journey, and future plans at www.artofunion.com.

Floating Islands

Throughout my time in Costa Rica I was frequently informed about the unique qualities of this small country (1/2 the size of Kentucky). What amazed me the most was being told that CR (and Panama) were formed as an island six million years ago near the Galapagos Islands from the same volcanic activity that created the Andes. This island rode on the Coccos plate north and rammed into the Caribbean plate (and still is) connecting North America to South America. (I am reminded of the “Dr. Doolittle” movie with its floating islands reunited.) Hence there are active volcanoes and hot springs.

I was amazed to find out that this place is home to over 10,000 flowering plant species (including 3000 orchids) and delighted to meet a number of endemic species. There is a wide range of ecosystems from the tropical to the alpine to the desert home to a mind boggling number of birds and other fauna. This year was CR rainiest in 30 years and the dry season had been delayed a couple of weeks spelling for us: MUD.

Getting Acquainted

From the moment of my arrival, I felt well looked after. Tenasi and Savitra met me at the airport and before we had left the parking lot they were splitting open coconuts and filling me with scrumptious fruits. We had three days to set the tone before our opening circle and we wasted no time heading to botanical gardens outside the capitol and the next day visiting the wondrous CATIE tropical gardens (www.catie.ac.cr/jardin botanico) sampling all sorts of fruits from mangosteen (one of the best fruits I have ever eaten!) to litchi to cacao. We walked through a labeled plant area and learned that they grew 11 spp. of coffee there and all sorts of positive aspects to the remarkable noni fruit (Morinda)[Rubiaceae]. We gathered some seeds of borojo (another Rubiaceae) from Columbia whose fruit has the highest levels of phosphorus in the world and is used as an aphrodisiac, wound healer, and visceral system tonic. The information they shared was great, I only wish there were more plant labels!

Then off we drove to the high mountains to visit our hosts for the beginning of the journey, The Seelye Family. The drive off the main road to their house was 4WD only with crazy turns and slippery slopes. Once there it took me a little while to acclimate as everyone sat around a barrel stove (with heating coils for hot water) talking and sharing. The parents had left the US more than a quarter of a century earlier and raised six kids high in the mountains creating a back-to-the-land homestead. Their history there is a rich memorable land. Lately they have been creating an ecolodge with customized tours (email: tourvueltas@yahoo.com). The four 20 to 27 year old kids who still live there are all very knowledgeable about the mountain plants (and many other things) so we had a lot to talk about.

The next day we went down the mountains on the west side to the produce market in San Isidro to get supplies and mingle with the locals and the growing number of organic farmers settling there from afar. Then we drove into the hills near by and up to the retreat cave. This remarkable place is an hour and a half walk up the into the jungle. Words are hard to find to describe this place with waterfalls cascading over caves equipped with beds and kitchen and bathrooms. Below a waterfall drops off 600 ft to the valley below; above are pools clean and fresh. Our walk would end near here and we would spend 3 days in this space reflecting on our journey.

Plant Divas atop the Mountain

The next day we traveled back to the mountaintop to an opening circle of 20+ of us. Thirteen of us formed the core of the hikers with a support crew and family members. In the morning we headed out with a couple of the Seelye sisters, Satya and Wendy as our guides. I was thoroughly impressed with their knowledge and teaching skills as we moved through some very unique zones. At our highest spots we were in the ancient Andean paramo (10,000 ft) with it valerian, Ericaceous plants, high mountain bamboos and a host of both familiar and endemic plants. In the subparamo we passed through huge forests of two species of oaks (one of them endemic) and came across a huge population of Ganoderma mushrooms. Very wonderful. Then down the mountain we walked to our pick up point for the night. We walked about 6 hours that day and I managed to get down 20 pages of notes from all that our guides were sharing! Over 50 families were recorded (perhaps 1/4 of the families of CR).

That night we gathered for a big feast on a wonderful homestead outside La Piedra where they had built a bunkhouse in which we stayed. I feel this family is really turned on to a lot of permaculture qualities and are be really important models for conscious living in many ways. We began the next day practicing group yoga with the rising of the sun then a huge breakfast and talk on plant evolution before a tour of the gardens and lessons in how to make bamboo mats and how to press sugar. All that before we even began our hike for the day. And what a hike it was…

You have to go Up to go Down

We walked about 20 kilometers on that day. At first we walked along a dirt road up and up and over and down slowly and across the pastures. Eventually we went into the woods and half way through our walk we turned and headed down through lots of mud. I was amazed on this walk in general how much up we went to go down (dropping over 9000 feet during the hike). On that day we descended several thousand feet to the small encampment called La Chaqueta miles from the closest road. That trek down was trying on me as I was wearing sandals. I later found that wearing socks helps to keep a grip for some reason. But on that day I suffered from it some and walked several kilometers barefoot. I finished well in the night and was thankful for the comradeship of one of our guides, Jonathan. I was thankful to be done with that walk. We ate a wonderful meal and then slept well being sung to by some of our companions.

Music was a big part of the journey. Rebecca kept a wonderful focus of keeping us in musical vibes. Many in our circle had musical talents and two guitars accompanied us. A wide variety of acoustic instruments provided many sounds. We gathered several times a day to tone together.

Away from Roads

In the morning we had a large breakfast and gathered on the front porch to hear a reading from the “Cosmic Serpent”, to discuss mushroom identification and look at a number of them that had been found along the way. The walk that day was less strenuous but still long. Over the five hours of walking I picked all the different ferns and their allies that I could find—gathering around 20 spp. We also came across a wide range of mushrooms some of whom we could identify (we eventually noted the names of over 25 from our walk). Once again mud accompanied us and we arrived after dark at our next home outside Piedras Blancas for the night. Many of us took nighttime swims in the Rio Savegre to wash all the mud off under a big moon. We had been following this river for several days and had heard about it being the cleanest watershed in the western side of Central and South America. Apparently the Spanish Government has funded ecotourism as an alternative to cattle farming and other environmentally destructive ways of living. From this effort I saw a well-made map laying out places for people to stay throughout the watershed and enjoy nature’s abundance.\

In the morning we heard a reading from “The New Earth” by Towle then gathered our forces for a several hour hike to our next destination, the retreat center of Curandero Albino. This walk though muddy went by quickly with a short break to talk about the differences between monocots and dicots. Then we had a long wonderful swim in the river before crossing it two at a time on a small gondola. The retreat center was lovely with an abundant garden all about and a big covered space for yoga and massage. I appreciate how in the tropics there is much less of a barrier between inside and outside.

Curandero Albino (age 55) took us on a walk through his gardens showing us the common medicine plants of CR. We then sat down and asked him questions about his life. He is half indigenous which he feels gives him insights into the plants. He is largely self-taught starting at age 15 and has a repertoire of about 100 plants that he draws from for healing. In addition to plants from his garden he finds a lot of healing power in the lianas (woody vines) in the jungle. Savitra complimented him on his good health. This he attributes to having tranquility and a varied diet. In the jungle he eats a lot of flowers and seeds.

One of the special features of his place is a sauna built into the hill with rocks and a barrel stove in the middle. He feels it provides healing in a physical, mental, spiritual, and supernatural way. He gave some guidelines such as going in naked and entering clockwise. Full moons he felt were the best time and pictured it as a kind of rebirthing from the mother earth. We all participated in a sweat going three rounds with a round of singing, one of silence and one of sharing heartsongs. I slept well that night in the bungalow.

The next morning we shared a breath work session opening up stuck energies and memories. Then breakfast, another short plant walk, and we were off walking to our next destination. Eventually we came to a huge teak plantation that was mud laden, then another river crossing and we had come to the end of our walk. We washed off and were given a lift to our next stop the homestead of Finca Brujo This place provided a wonderful night’s rest.

Pura Vida

The next day we walked around the permaculture farm and took a swim in the Rio Division. Then we made our way back to the cave behind the waterfall and spent several days recuperating from our walk and integrating what we had learned. In our five days of walking we visited six homesteads and walked about 60 km descending 9000 feet.

On one day a local person, Carlos, took us on a walk in the jungle and showed us the plants his grandmother had shared with him. He said he could confidently live off the food of the jungle. The next day another local person, Marcos, came and took us high into the hills showing us plants to eat and for medicine but also vines for making baskets and getting fresh water.

In the cave we were nurtured and had a chance to reflect on our time and share our lessons from the adventure. We were fed a wide range of delectable foods from raw food wonders to grounding soups. We had a memorable closing circle that went on for a couple of hours with some beautiful sharing.

The next morning our circle dispersed and several of us headed from the green jungle to the concrete jungle of the capitol and the next day I flew back to turtle island to continue my world walk.

Notable Flora of Costa Rica

We met hundreds of plants and mushrooms of all shapes and sizes. To do justice to them would take a lot of pages but I know people are busy so I wanted to highlight a few plants that could not go unaccounted for:

Gotu Kola (Centella sp.) [Umbeliferae]: We never were able to confirm the aid of the gotu kola we were looking at (and eating a bunch of ) that grew near the cave. I saw pennyworts throughout our walk (Hydrocotyle) but none of them had the smell or taste of the one I called a kind of gotu kola. One day several of us were accidentally mildly poisoned by an undercooked wild cucumber. I was weak the next day from it and found eating several rounds of leaves detoxified me and brought back my energy. One other person experienced a similar relief. Books noted Centella asiatica as a weed in the area.

Angel Leaf (Piper sp. ) [Piperaceae]: Being shown this common large leaved substantial Piper that was literally weedy, had a large impact on me. The smell of sassafras exuded from all parts of it and endured well in dried leaves. This seems like a great source for getting our sassafras needs without having to pull up young trees here. I really enjoyed the tea while there.

Noni (Morinda citrifolia) [Rubiaceae]: This miraculous fruit native to the West Indies was brought to Central America with the builders of the Panama canal and has been commonly planted ever since. Its uses were extolled where ever I went. At the CATIE gardens they noted that it was used for treating over 10o ailments.

The Sloth Tree (Cericropia spp.) [Moraceae]: There were apparently four species of this tree all having huge palm shaped leaves. A favorite food for the sloth it also is used a lot by humans for medicine. One curandero commented that is moved liquids through the body.

Cuculmeca or Zarsparilla (Smilax) [Smilacaceae]: I was very excited to come across this genus first in a curanderos garden then on two different plant outings. I think we saw a different species each time and was excited to see all the virtues they attributed to it calling it tropical ginseng.

Ortiga (Laportea) [Urticaceae]: We saw a number of members from this family including the European Nettles (Urtica) and a several tree sized members. Various species of woods nettle (Laportea) appeared before us on the walk with their milder sting but still nutritious and medicinal properties. A family that demands respect from humans.

Bocconia [Papavaraceae]: I was impressed with this tall big-leaved shrub in the poppy family that oozes orange sap used for dyes and to treat skin ailments and ulcers. The bitter roots help the liver, bring down fever and expel worms.

Palms [Palmae]: I do not wish to take away from the amazingness of the individual species by clumping them all here. With over 3000 spp. some argue this is the world’s most economically important plant family. I really enjoyed eating the boiled insides from the peach palm (Bactris). Hardly a day went by when I did not enjoy either the water or the meat of the coconut (Cocos). We were introduced to a number of palms whose hearts are commonly eaten. Knowing this certainly made survival in the jungle much more feasible.

Jackass Bitters (Neurolaena)[Compositae]: There are bitters and there are bitters. This one is notable by its sharp bitter taste in its leaves and its long presence in the body. Used to expel worms and often used by farm workers preventatively.

Lady’s Mantle (Alchemilla) [Rosaceae]: I had only encountered the European species of this plant apparently used to gather dew for the alchemist’s medicines and to treat women’s ailments. Up on the Paramo we found at least three species of it, all much more diminutive than the one I am familiar with.

Artist’s Conk (Ganoderma): We were blessed to find frequent clumps of this mushroom from a couple of different species including G. applanatum. Most of our crew had never had its rich broth before so we frequently made prolonged decoctions of it and shared it throughout our journey.

Frank

August 1, 2005

Greetings Family and Friends,

I am doing my best to keep balance in this expansive time of year here on turtle island. I am on the west side a little while longer. It is hot here but not humid. I am thankful for the cold streams. I had a wonderful time with family here. I enjoyed seeing Doug Elliott tell his stories here at the Sierra Storytelling Festival and to have a day with him walking about the Sierras. Soon I head east attending some of the happenings listed below and continuing to write out the report of my African travels.

I learned a number of lessons from my two weeks with a flu. Humility comes to mind and how health is a gift. I hope you all are enjoying the fresh fruits and vegetables of the times. What local food is really abundant around you now? As we enter into Lammas- half way between the solstice and the equinox-it is a good time to assess our crops (and visions) for the year and to determine our preparedness for winter. And then act accordingly. This is traditionally the time of the first harvest cycle of wheat and corn. May you take some time in the next few days to look behind at the year that has been and ahead to what lies in the horizon. I hope to see you in the North Carolina hills in the next couple of months. I will be a Celo this weekend then walking up to Mt. Mitchell and onward for a day at Earthaven (details below. ) Then hopefully some time for writing, research and east coast family.

Please take care.

Peace and Love,

Frank

May 2005

Waning moon

Greetings Family and Friends!

Life has continued to be full as well as fulfilling since last I communicated with you through this medium. I have been fortunate to have some quality time with elders and am being presented with many lessons. (Some of them are even starting to sink in I hope!) I am sure many of you are feeling the energy of spring rising in you. May that energy be expressed in wonderful ways. There are several opportunities for us to get together over the next month in NC and California and in the virtual world.

Hope to see you there.

May your light shine!

Peace and Love,

Frank

Feb 7, 2005

Hola Mi Familia,

We have finished the jungle leg of our journey to Peru and I wanted to check in and let you know what we have been up to. Three of us left the snows of the northeast to converge with our other two companions in Miami for the overnight flight to Lima.

Though Lima is not a gem (in the rough or any other form), there were a few places from my previous visits that I was excited to revisit. Also it was an opportunity for my companions to see the coastal reality of Peru. We made the most of our 12 hour layover visiting the central part of the city with its big markets and Spanish architecture then settling in for a few hours at the Jardin Botanica ( est. 1787) located on the grounds of the oldest university in South America--San Marcos (1520). While the rest of the group rested among the flowers and butterflies, Christina and I walked about comparing our new discoveries with my notes from two and a half years before.

That evening we flew to the tropical jungle of Iquitos, a big town on the Amazon river accessible only by river or air with its humid air and alive with floral smells. We found a hostel to stay in and the next day Christina and I went in search of our friend Shaman Don Juan Paima hoping to arrange with him a journey into the jungle. We had no idea if we would find him as he is hard to reach. But fortune favored us and though much had happened to him, we found him and his family healthy. And he was willing to take us into the jungle. (remarkably this simple man in the last 2 1/2 years since we had seen him had been taken by ayayhuasca (a visionary plant healing medicine) enthusiasts to many places including France, Finland, South Africa, and the US.) He was excited to see us and we made plans for a four day excursion to his jungle camp.

With this decided we reunited with our companions, moved our stuff out to Don Juan's house and took them to the famous Belen Market full of exotic fruits, herbal medicine booths, and stalls of almost every imaginable thing. It is always an overwhelming experience especially the first times.

The next day we purchased provisions such as food, mosie netting, and other things that people need to be strong in the jungle. We took Don Juan's younger kids to the zoo/botanical gardens and I was impressed by the cleanliness of the place and health of the animals. There was a lagoon for swimming which the kids were very excited about. I had not been to the gardens before and was delighted by how diverse they were (over 1300 plants). We were guided about by the charismatic Alberto whose enthusiasm was contagious as he showed famous plants and told us their stories.

The next morning before the sun rose we awoke and headed out--the five of us, Don Juan, his brother, and two of his sons to catch the boat up the Amazon River to the village of Barro Florido. From there we walked for three hours first seeing the destruction of modern life with clearcuts and roads, finally entering the forest and its winding trails. Mushrooms were coming up all over the place including one of my favorite: artist's conk (Ganoderma). About half way there the sky opened up drenching us and our heavy packs; challenging us but making the arrival at the outpost healing center all the sweeter. We were taken to a wonderful dry wooden gazebo where we could set up our hammocks, nets and hang our wet clothes. As the rain passed, the sounds, the whoops and whistles, the ra-tat-tat...of so many birds and insects welcomed us, consumed us.

With the passing of the rain, Don Juan set to work on making the medicine for the ceremony that night. We assisted mashing the ayahuasca vine and cooking it for hours with the chakruna leaves. He invoked its energies with prayers and intentions. We ate a little and rested for the night ahead. (As I write this on the bus an elder Quechua Indian woman teases me by playing with my hair.)

The details of our experience will need to wait for another time, but needless to say we were each moved and affected in powerful healing ways with visions and physical purifications. We had another ayahuasa circle two days later with another batch of medicine. The days were filled with food preparation, plant walks in the jungle and gardens, time slowing down with our host family, bathing in the creek, sharing information circles, and getting into the vibe of the jungle.

As it happens, next thing we knew we were on our hike out accompanied by many of our jungle family. We had grown stronger from the fresh air, good medicine, and loving community. In Iquitos we reacclimated to modern life and prepared for the second half of our journey to the land of the Incas. (Details on that in a week or so.) We bid farewell to Don Juan and his family. With this third journey to Iquitos in the last 6 years I am starting to get a feeling for the jungle, though I know it is the walk of a life time. Perhaps you will join us on the next trip down.

I know that many of you reading this are in the throws of winter. Mosquitos and flowering orchidsmay seem far away, but perhaps these words have warmed you some and stirred your imagination. I hope so.

I will write again with some lessons from Machu Picchu.

Via con Dios, Frank

Upcoming Events

If you live in the Asheville Area I recommend attending the below conference featuring one of my mentors James Duke and many other wonderful plant, mushroom and health teachers whom I know and respect. Information is available at:http://www.ncnaturalproducts.org/conference.html

For those of you in triangle area I am working to get a day put together with James Duke during the week of March 7th. Let me know if you are interested in attending. Assuming we can make it happen I will be sending details around next week.

Lots of events are being scheduled for April and May. I will be sending out details in March.

Hope to see you then.

FCC

Spring 2004

Hello there Family and Friends.

I have been back on turtle island nearly one moon cycle yet in many ways I still feel as if the plane is landing! But everything in good time. I have built up quite a stack of writing projects to work on but I also feel spring calling out to me to come out and play. It seems to me that now as much as ever the world and our species need us to spend time connecting with the plants.

A new edition of "Botany in a Day" by Thomas Elpel has come out and I helped some with the edits. You can order a copy from www.hollowtop.com (tell them I sent ya). There will be two classes I am facilitating online starting sometime in May. One will be emphasizing families as in passed years (my forth year doing this!) and a new one emphasizing orders and genera of the world. I hope you will consider participating. I am also preparing to launch a 100 hour acknowledgement program as many of you are showing up and putting in the time with the plants. Basically I will keep track of time we spend together on walks and classes and will give you a certificate when you get a 100 hours which can be used to acknowledge your commitment to knowing the plants. If you want more information on either the classes or certificate program contact me at planttalk2004@yahoo.com.

It is becoming clearer to me that one of the most important responsibilities as stewards of the earth is to know the plants that are growing around us. With that in mind I want to make myself available to help you do a plant survey of the land you are living on. Contact me at plantnettalk@yahoo.com so we can arrange an opportunity to do this. As you know I have published a couple of books on journeys to India/Nepal(97) and Peru/Ecuador(99) {and am currently working on one from last year's trip to southern Africa}. If you would like copies please send me your address.

Below is a list of events I will be teaching at that I hope you will be able to participate in. Other opportunities will come up as the season moves forward. I will keep you posted. I am working on trying to put together another plant medicine weekend with James Duke in Maryland in July-let me know if you are interested.

Please drop me a line occasionally and let me know how life is treating you. May your body, heart, mind, and soul remain open and free!

Friend of the Weeds,

Frank plantnettalk@yahoo.com

Letters and donations thankfully received at:

Frank Cook 1119 Old Greensboro Road Chapel Hill, NC 27516

32nd Annual Rainbow Gathering - N.California This is the first time the children of the rainbow will gather in the sacred lands of California from all across turtle island since 1984. I will be a memorable time. I am excited to share in walks and daily talks concerning the special ecosystems of this part of the country. It is also a wonderful opportunity to check in with family from all over the world. >> Plant List

October 1st-3rd Enjoying Nature's Bounty Sunnybank Retreat Center Hot Springs, NC For more information contact Elmer at 828-622-7206 You are welcome to join us in the pristine, ancient mountains of the southern Appalachians enjoying nature together. These mountains provide us with one of the richest ecosystems in the world. With Frank Cook facilitating, our group will venture into the woods seeing, tasting, smelling and feeling nature give forth its fruits and rainbow of colors. We will share discussions around ecology, health, nutrition, meditation, as well as folklore and other areas of group interest. Wild food will be served with each meal.

Though Frank Cook feels his roots in Appalachia, his quest to meet the every plant family in the world has led him to Africa, India, and South America, meeting healers and visiting sacred places along the way. Building on a B.S. from Duke University, Frank was trained as a clinical herbalist at the Northeast School of Botanical Medicine in 1995. In Spring 2001, Frank walked across North Carolina, observing nature and foraging edibles as he went. Frank approaches plants as friends, teaching others to make plants their allies and food their medicine

I hope one or more of these events works with your schedule. Let me know if you would like to host a walk or have a plant inventory done of your land.

Frank's Resume

Frank Cook

1119 Old Greensboro Road

Chapel Hill, NC 27516 USA

(530) 263-1217

plantnettalk@yahoo.com

Over the last ten years my passion for being a repository of plant knowledge has grown steadily. I have studied with Herbalists, Shamen, Vaidyas, Sangomas, Green Witches, Doctors, Professors, Medicine Men around the country and world. They have initiated me into many ways of walking with plants. More and more there are opportunities to share what I have learned at workshops, conferences, and gatherings of all types around the country.

As an extensive traveler I have developed a deep-rooted network of people whose lives are consciously intermingled with plants, healing, and ways to create a better world. I lead a simple life communicating, teaching, reflecting, and spending a lot of time with family and in the forests and gardens delving deeper into the mysteries of the plant kingdom and our place in the web of life.

• Jan,2004-Mar, 2004: I, with a small group, focused on the plants and healers of Kerala collecting knowledge and experiences in this diverse part of India. We revisited many of my favorite areas from my earlier visit.

• Nov, 2002 - Apr, 2003: Journeyed through eight countries in southern Africa learning plant stories and healing ways. Report forthcoming.

• Sept, 2002: In three weeks I and companion, Chad, walked across California from the Mendocino Coast to Lake Tahoe eating off the land and sleeping under the stars.

• 2002: Traveled again to Peru to research deeper the flora and healing ways there. A small group of us were able to relive many of my memorable experiences from my earlier trip.

• March, 2001: I walked for a month from the Pamlico Sound at the North Carolina coast west to Max Patch on the border of Tennessee. This walk was a rite of passage for me as I made small fires each day and ate what I could from the land really learning to appreciate teas and nibbling.

• 1999: Traveled about Ecuador and Peru for three months. Studied with Shamen and other healers. Wrote a cross-cultural paper at Jutan Sacha Biological Station, Bilsa, Ecuador comparing plant genera used there and abroad. Self-published an extensive report on what I learned on that journey.

• 1997: Traveled through India and Nepal for nine months. Studied Ayurveda and other forms of traditional healing. Encountered hundreds of healing plants. Self-published an account of experiences gained there.

• 1995: Graduated from the Northeast School of Botanical Medicine as a Clinical Herbalist, Ithaca, NY.

• 1988-1992: Creative Writing Teacher at Durham Technical College and a manager at the Durham Food Co-op.

• 1985: B.S. Degrees in Zoology and Computer Science from Duke University with honors.

During the last decade I have had the honor of learning from and teaching with a wide range of well-known and respected plant teachers in this country. Some of them include: 7Song, Greenlight, Doug Elliott, Alan "Mushroom" Muskat, James Duke, Juliet Blankespoor, Chuck Marsh, Keith Johnson, Rainbow Sunbear, Daniel Nicholson, Peggy Ellis, and John Olmstead. Contact information for references are available upon request.

I have organized plant expeditions with others to Peru and India and intend to continue this service so we can grow to know the plants and cultures of the world.

As a plant enthusiast and community builder I have attended the National Rainbow Gathering for the past 12 years. In California I have attended and taught at the Stone Soup Gatherings and in North Carolina the Summer Permaculture Gatherings for these last 8 years.

I see us quickly becoming one world. My central questions in this respect are what plants will be in our global gardens and stories? What will our global healing system be made of? Each of the living cultures of the world has something to contribute. I intend to find out what they are and share these insights with the world.