Frank Cook Memorial

by Marc Williams, italmon@hotmail.com
www.plantpatterns.com
Partially adapted from Frank's bio at www.plantsandhealers.com

April 23, 2010

Frank Cook, a most amazing ethnobotanist and humanitarian left his physical body shortly after last year’s Southeastern Permaculture Gathering (PC Gathering). Frank attended the PC Gathering at least 12 times. He was a frequent facilitator of plant walks and guided journeys of Plant Spirit Medicine as well as many other topics. Many stories could follow from a reflection on Frank and his connection to the PC Gathering…One of my favorites is when he attempted to walk to Earthaven from Celo at the end of the gathering one year…

Frank’s last walk at the PC gathering and one of his last in his most recent incarnation was said to be a good one. We had just found a few “new” botanical sanctuaries close to the camp the year before. i first “met” Frank during a plant walk at the PC gathering in 2001. i had known who Frank was and had a desire to work with plants previously. However, by the end of that walk i had developed the motivation to transform into the zealous ethnobotanist and life long loving brother of Frank Cook that i am today.  Give thanks!!!

“For fifteen years Cook’s passion for being a repository of plant knowledge grew steadily. He studied with Herbalists, Shamen, Vaidyas, Sangomas, Green Witches, Doctors, Professors, Medicine Men around the world.” He shared what he had learned at workshops, schools, conferences, and gatherings of all types.” For nine years Cook facilitated an online discussion through the book “Botany in a Day.” This action helped many people go deeper with their knowledge of plants.  The concept of plant family patterns elucidated by Frank and covered in the book make understanding plant characteristics much easier. One of Frank’s missions was to meet all the plant families of the world.

“During the last decade Frank had the honor of learning from and teaching with a wide range of well-known and respected plant teachers. Some of them included: Dr. James Duke, 7Song, Doug Elliott, Sandor Katz, Corey Pine Shane, Alan “Mushroom” Muskat, Juliet Blankespoor, Greenlight, Chuck Marsh, Robert Eidus, Daniel Nicholson, Martin Crawford and John Olmstead.” Many of these people are also regular highlights of the healing arts schedule at the LEAF festival.

In 1985 Cook graduated with honors receiving B.S. degrees in Zoology and Computer Science from Duke University, North Carolina. In 1995 he graduated from the Ithaca New York based Northeast School of Botanical Medicine as a Clinical Herbalist. He was also certified as a Permaculture Designer through Earthaven Ecovillage. Cook recently had completed a Master’s of Science degree in Holistic Science at Schumacher College in Devon, England. His master’s thesis was published as a book under the title Emerging Planetary Medicines. While in England, Frank took part in the development of the Transition town movement that has swept through Britain and other parts of the world.

Frank grew up in a military family and lived in places such as Japan and Iceland when growing up. His tasks of researching, writing and teaching also took him to many other exotic locales. He covered parts of every continent other than Antarctica. Over twelve years he traveled in India, Nepal, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Australia, New Zealand, throughout Europe and eight countries in southern Africa. He self published books describing his travel experiences from India and Peru. Both of these countries Frank visited several times.

Frank was most traveled in the U.S., crisscrossing the country on innumerable occasions. The three states that Cook spent the most time in were North Carolina, California and Maryland. He made a decision at one point to know NC and CA more intimately. “In 2001, Cook 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 as he made small fires each day and ate what he could from the land--really learning to appreciate wild teas and nibbling.” In 2002 over three weeks Cook and his friend Chad walked across California from the Gualala on the Pacific to Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

“Cook saw us quickly becoming one world.” His central questions in this respect to globalization were: “What plants will be in our global gardens and stories? What will our global healing system look like? What are the roles of the human species in the web of life?” Cook saw that each of the cultures of the world has contributions to make. One of his goals was to find some answers to his questions and share these insights around the globe.

“Cook walked the green path achieving right-livelihood through donation.” One of his favorite concepts was “Give what you can; receive what you need, but most importantly show up and reconnect with nature." Another great idea was his urgence to “eat something wild every day.” Frank had gained enough knowledge to recognize wild food resources wherever he went. Recently Frank had professed the need for his students to become more than “end users” He recognized that great changes need to happen in the world. It is the responsibility of each person to spread and amplify the message of our essential connection to and dependence upon, nature. Thousands of people have been inspired by Frank Cook. His work will continue through the efforts of many that he touched around the globe.
Frank so many send love and thanks to you for inspiring what they do…