Frank Cook, peripatetic (itinerant) herbalist

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.

Frank Cook
1119 Old Greensboro Road
Chapel Hill, NC 27516 USA
(530) 263-1217
plantnettalk -at- yahoo.com