Early morning of August 19, 2009, beloved green man and inspirational teacher, Frank Cook, left this earthly plane. This sparkling blue-eyed visionary giant left a legend in his wake--of how to listen to the stories from the plant world and, in turn, be a voice for them. Frank fearlessly lived his life's purpose by being fully present in the moment. An engaging and charismatic storyteller, Frank was dedicated to his mission of awakening 'Gaian' consciousness in humanity. His deep love of plants introduced thousands of people from six continents to the world of botany and traditional herbalism, enabling many along the way to break through the 'green wall.'

If a big oak tree were to speak, it would probably have the voice of Frank Cook--deep, calm, and full of resonance. Frank's presence drew people from all walks of life. His message was universal: we are all one family, sharing and stewarding this beautiful planet together. Frank's mission was to 'turn people on' by paying attention to, and loving, the life around them. He taught through example, the art of simple living, and avoidance of unsustainable distractions for temporal satisfaction.

Frank had an insatiable appetite for knowledge and possessed a keen intellect. In 1985 he graduated with honors, receiving a B.S. Degree in Zoology and Computer Science from Duke University, North Carolina. Frank later was a graduate from the Northeast School of Botanical Medicine and became certified in Permaculture Design. Recently he earned an M.S. degree in Holistic Science at Schumacher College in England; his master's thesis was published as a book under the title Emerging Planetary Medicines.

Continue reading "Memorium by Mary Morgaine Thames and Juliet Blankespoor, December 2009" »

by Joseph Immel, 8/19/09

To contribute your story about Frank, click on the link here (http://www.plantsandhealers.com/yourstory.php).

The doctor tells us there are multiple lesions in the brain and a large cystic mass in the leg. Frank seems nervous by that but still he is strong, even taking care of us. Memory is lapsing in and out, Hallucinations. He talks about going down to the Piedmont tomorrow for a plant walk. He talks about Artemesia...

We've been here a few days already but last night I came to the hospital a little late. Friends have prepared loving biscuits and homemade honey. Matthew is holding a shamanic ceremony and showing Frank mushrooms and Yarrow. Morgaine, distraught and exhausted for days, is loving and protecting Frank while giving him her strength. Frank is cooperating with the doctors, but in and out.

I wake up again in the early morning when I hear Frank's spirit come in and greet me saying, 'Hey Bro!' I thank God for having already gone through the anger, frustration, disappointment, and heaviness. So it's good to finally see him, "Hi Frank!" I say. He laughs at me, "Joseph what are you doing hanging out with my body. You're supposed to be hanging out with my spirit." And then adds a final dig - "When are you going to get that!" I smile and agree and suddenly I'm just hanging out with his spirit:

...I see a dark black and green smudge and I'm like, "Frank that's not your spirit." Then suddenly, right behind it, I see a light-green light. It's so pure and generous, full of love and courage. Then he says, "See Joseph my spirit still loves the plants! But it's not dark in here..."

I smile and prepare him some breakfast and drive over to the hospital to nourish his real body. When I get to the room it's empty. Behind me the chaplain comes and says that his condition has destabilized. "Oh my gosh," I hear him say in my mind. Paul is downstairs but I can't find him. Morgaine calls like a fierce lioness ready to protect Frank's spirit and respect him but she's sobbing and can hardly speak.

Continue reading "Frank Cook passed away this morning" »

by Mary Morgaine

To contribute your story about Frank, click on the link here (http://www.plantsandhealers.com/yourstory.php).

It is Monday, August 24th, 2009, and Frank has been gone from this world now for five days. I have received many questions regarding how and why Frank left this planet so suddenly. I offer these words to the larger circle of what I bore witness to, what I experienced and felt in the last few weeks of Frank's life and what I believe led to his crossing. The sun is bright in the summer sky, pausing neither for life nor death. The days keep unfolding without judgment as to who has come into this world and who has gone. Even in death, life spills forth to fill the moments with its own love for itself, a never-ending cycle of transformational existence. I am honored to be able to share my story within the Great Turning.

One of the last coherent conversations Frank and I had, 4 days before he crossed, was about 'Story'. He was firm in having me understand clearly that the telling of a story could only be, even in its best form, a fragment of the Whole, for there are so many perspectives and conditions that make up the reality from which the story unfolds that it could never be all conveyed simultaneously. With this understanding, I sing my heart song.

It was in Australia, winter 2007, that I first noted Frank feeling less than his vibrant self. He arrived with a cold and the entire time we spent together there he did not feel well. But he did not let that stop him from moving and learning and sharing, and he gained his strength back enough to continue on to New Zealand and then back up to the northern lands of Australia after we parted. While there, near Darwin, in the tropics of that beautiful country, he was bitten by hundreds of mosquitoes and from that he believed he acquired the Ross River Virus, a self-limiting virus said to be gone within a year, that causes inflammation of the joints, fever and fatigue.

Continue reading "On my beloved Frank's last days and his crossing" »

Pearson Garden, Asheville NC, 7PM, August 19, 2009

Just hours after his passing, Frank's brother Ken spoke from circle of nearly 200 friends holding hands around the garden. "I think he saw us all as plant beings and he certainly was one himself." Muffled laughter mixed with tears. Frank Cook was the Banyan Tree.

If the name is not familiar, you'll remember the man. Frank stood 6'3" tall with piercing blue eyes and waist length dreadlocks. He wore simple clothes and sandals and carried a satchel over his shoulder. In Carrboro, his home was a loft bed at the residence of Beth Williams and Alan Dehmer. He walked everywhere, once across the entire state of North Carolina, foraging for food along the way. Most of us in these modern times would die attempting such a trek. Frank feasted - both physically and spiritually.

Continue reading "Frank Cook: The Banyan Tree by Tim Toben" »

A Thousand Words about the 38th Annual Rainbow NM 2009

Many of us arrived on June 30th and we seemed to increase exponentially after that until the peak of the fourth. Over 10,000 made up our village that spread down the valleys of half a dozen small ridges. Our water came from springs above us. We were in a forest full of dead wood and lots of plants that the cows didn't like to eat.
At 9300 feet we experienced a very different NM than you might expect. There were frequent rains many days with hail on the fourth. We were also blessed on the fourth with a double+ rainbow that endured a long time giving inspiration to the faithful. The rains encouraged the plants and mushrooms to come forth abundantly.
And they did which brought forth nature lovers. 7Song's walks had over 100 people on each of the walks of the first few days. We could really feel the deepening of the plant knowledge into our community during those walks.
The Greenpath Camp formed solidly this fourth year supported by a core of 15+ people. Several arrived early and really made a memorable village feel with two teepees and two bark huts not to mention a kitchen and a clay oven. Once the oven was done pizza, cookies and other delights flowed from it for the rest of the gathering. Several teaching spaces formed around the village. On the second over 100 people showed up for an afternoon of gathering and preparing wild edibles.
The kitchen never seemed to stop--sending meals to main circle and always on hand seemed to be another healthy meal. I think I gained weight at the gathering! We had over 15 gallons of kimchi/sauerkraut brought to/made at the gathering. Hopes are to up that a lot next year along with more sprouting to feed main circle some.
By the time I got there, a full on schedule of classes was happening. I jumped in with both feet and helped facilitate eleven teaching circles during my time there including: Plant walks and talks, Fermentation show and tell, Mycology 101, Holistic Science and Transition Culture. The vibe around the Greenpath Camp was strong and growing with many plans for next year and connecting between now and then. It felt wonderful to camp near such a vibrant village.
Every day was long for me with walks about the gathering. A nice circle of botanical enthusiasts collaborated to create a list of the plants and mushrooms seen at the gathering. That should be compiled soon but to give you a sense of it, we encountered over 50 families and a 100 genera. Everyone grew from the experience it seemed.
In addition to seeing the famous herbs there like Osha, Arnica and Aconite, I learned three new genera: Paxistima, Dracocephalum and Psuedocympoterus . I was very excited to find a new polypore and eventually found out it was another species of Phellinus (our cracked cap polypore that grows on locusts and is famous in Korea for preventing the return of cancer). I had a wonderful tea of it and was delighted to see that it was called P. tremulae (alluding to its host aspen, Populus tremuloides). I also enjoyed the decocted tea of the red-belted Polypore, Fomitopsis.
On the fourth the morning silence opened to the celebration of interdependence just before noon. I had never experienced that before in my 16 rainbows. Usually rainbow noon is later afternoon. I was not at the circle. As has happened a number of times on this day in recent years, I found myself alone in the woods praying on the earth, cleansing in a spring, focusing on healing. I made my way later to the celebration and deeply enjoyed connecting with my family there. This year more than a dozen friends I had not seen for many rainbows re-appeared. It was so wonderful to see them out in those glorious aspen-fir-spruce forests. One concern is that my teacher and friend, Greenlight, was not there and I heard rumors he has been ill. If anyone has news about him, please let me know.
I spent time hearing stories of an archeological site in the lower part of the meadow with a stone fire pit 5000 years old and tufts of grassy areas making up an ancient medicine wheel. I visited them and could feel some energy from them. The main meadow was apparently a place warriors would meet before war.
I checked in on the main family council several times and heard some amazing visions and stories. I have recently heard word that the council consensed on next year's gathering being east of the Mississippi.
The drums would play in the distance through the night which gave me great comfort. I understand that the parties and circles also spanned the night. Given my path I usually go to sleep on the early side so you will have to read another's rainbow account to hear more about that.
I participated in many circles on how we can grow to be a more sustainable rainbow. Lots of ideas were aired hopefully seeds for future transformation. Some ideas that stay with me include: Water catchment off the kitchen roofs into simple filters of charcoal, sand and moss; Utilizing alternatives to toxic bleach such as antimicrobial plants (e.g. sage brush); Introducing more wild food and teas from the kitchens to the people; Reducing the amount of wood burned at the gathering; Coordinating the different camps into neighborboods....
I could feel my many years of attending gatherings this year. I had changed a lot in the 14 years since my first NM gathering. One of the biggest distinctions that needs to be shared is that there are people who act like rainbows (shining love and light) and those that act like drainbows (needy energy seekers). It is important to understand this distinction.
I just saw a really interesting hour documentary called "We Love You" that features many friends. You can see the trailer for it through http://www.weloveyoufilm.com/.

We are all part of the rainbow. It is a way of life.

Love and Light,

Frank

July, 2009
Woodsedge, NC

Upcoming Teachings 2009/2010

New Mexico

June 30-July 8 38th National Rainbow NM

July 9-17 Teaching around Taos contact me for details.

Colorado

July 18-20 Mushroom and Plant Walks with Chris Ricci Near Durango. For More In-formation contact Chris at
970-884-0877 CHRIS@CULTUREBROTHERS.ORG

North Carolina

July 31- Aug 2 Mushrooms and Plants as Shamanic Allies with Ken Crouse at the Sunnybank Inn Hot Springs. Coming for the day is available for local people. Contact Elmer at 828-622-7206 for more information.

Aug 3 Mead and Pizza Making Pearson Community Gardens Monford, Asheville. Call Turtle at 828-273-8151 for details.

Aug 5-6 Wild Foods and Fermentation with Sandor Katz at the Ashevillage Institute. For more information email: info@ashevillage.org

Aug 7-9 16th Permaculture Gathering at Celo www.southeasternpermaculture.org I will be facilitating an advanced plant walk Friday morning.

Aug 14-16 GREEN SCENE AT PEACEFUL VALLEY GARDENS outside Boone

Come join us for the "Green Scene at Peaceful Valley Gardens" on August 14 through August 16. Frank Cook and Ken Crouse will be leading walks through the woods and the gardens and sharing their knowledge of the plant (and fungal) world. Topics are likely to include edible and medicinal wild plants and mushrooms, ornamental and vegetable gardening, herbs, permaculture, and more. We will leave a lot of room for spontaneity and invite other to share their skills and knowledge with the group. We are planning for an opening circle around 5 PM on Friday the 14th and closing circle on Sunday afternoon.

Peaceful Valley Gardens is the home of Ken Crouse, Cindy Fowler, and Henry and Judith Orszula and is located in Wilkes County (about 20 miles east of Boone). The valley is surrounded by woods and contains a pond - great habitat for plants, frogs, birds, insects, and people who like to camp and swim! Please contact Ken and Cindy if you plan on coming so that we can send you details and work out logistics for food sharing and camping. We will need for you to confirm your participation as space will be limited. You can call (336) 973-5569 or email us at peacevalley@wilkes.net . When emailing, please put Green Scene in the subject line.

Maine

August 23-28 Applied Nature Studies: Wild Plants as Medicines, Teas, and Foods at the Humboldt Field Research Institute near Steuben

During our week together we will pursue an experiential approach to encountering the world. We will initially discuss the context of the phenomena that we are studying-be it plants, mushrooms, seaweeds or the land forms we explore. Our aim is to pursue a holistic understanding of nature bringing together such diverse fields as botany, mycology, fermentation, permaculture, ethnobotany, and ecology. Once we have achieved a degree of understanding we will take frequent trips into the surrounding ecosystems, and learn the techniques for collecting from the wild. From these gatherings we will process and ferment wild foods and natural medicines. By the end of the week the participants will have been exposed to many of the qualities of complex ecosystems and ways in which humans can study and connect with their environment. We will encounter some of the challenges facing humanity and ways to apply our understanding of nature to address them.

For more information contact them:
Phone: 207-546-2821, FAX: 207-546-3042,
http://www.eaglehill.us

California Happenings Early September--check the website.

United Kingdom

Sept 13-25 Thrival Living Skills for the Coming Times Findhorn Ecovillage, The Park, Findhorn, Moray
This Workshop has an emphasis on wild foods and includes wild food walks and taught/experiential modules on Food Philosophy, Plant Allies, Permaculture principles, Mycology, and Fermentation.
In evening talks, also open to the community Frank will share his knowledge on the themes of Emerging Planetary Medicine, Holistic Science approaches and Neo-Shamanic insights.
contact: www.findhorncollege.com.

Sept 27 Wild Edibles around London with Miles Irving
contact Alex: alsl@btinternet.com

Sept 29 The Wisdom of the Plants
http://wildwise.co.uk/professionaltraining.html

Oct 3 Thrival Living Skills

http://wildwise.co.uk/events_and_courses.html

Oct 4 Edible Plant Walk

Frank Cook will lead a 3-hour wild edible plant walk around Otterton, Nr. Sidmouth, East Devon, where he will gently guide you into the healing and beauty of wild foods. www.foragingcourses.com

Oct 17 Sacred Plant Medicine
Indigenous peoples around the world have been able to gather knowledge of plant uses by communicating directly with them and honouring the sacred relationship between themselves and the plant kingdom.
In this 6-hour plant immersion, Frank will explore the many ways that you are able to communicate with the plant kingdom to aid your nutritional and healing needs. With him you'll explore the sacred dimension of plant and human interactions. www.foragingcourses.com

Oct 19-24 Ethnobotany: Listening to the Plants Schumacher College, Devonshire
www.schumachercollege.org.uk for more information.

October 25 Plant Walk with Miles Irving Greater London area.

Tennessee

Oct 29-31 Wild Foods and Fermentation with Sandor Katz near Short Mountain. Check out www.wildfermentation.com for more information.

North Carolina

Nov 7 Plant Day at Pickard´s Mountain 10:00-4:00 Chapel Hill

2010

Costa Rica

End of December though mid-January 2010

India

Later January through February

North Carolina

End of April Walking the Green Path Gathering

Mid-August through Beg-October Yoga Bus cross country twice NE-NW then SW-SE. Interested in jumping on board?

A Discussion group on Emerging Planetary Medicines will be happening soon. Add your thoughts and reflect to the ongoing discussions. The time is now to relocalize and renaturalize our medicines!

Frank Cook - For over fifteen years Frank has pursued his passion for being a repository of plant knowledge. He has studied with Herbalists, Shamen, Vaidyas, Sangomas, Green Witches, Doctors, Professors, Medicine Men around the world. They have initiated him into many ways of walking with plants. As an extensive traveler he has developed a deep-rooted network of people whose lives are consciously intermingled with plants, healing, and ways to create a better world. He makes a wide range of foods and medicines to share with his family, friends and community. He leads a simple life communicating, teaching, reflecting, and spending a lot of time in the forests and gardens delving deeper into the mysteries of the plant kingdom and our place in Gaia. He has a Masters in Science from Schumacher College, Dartington, Devonshire, England where he studied Holistic Science and Transition Culture. He is certified as a Permaculture Designer with over 13 years of working with permaculture principles. He graduated from the Northeast School of Botanical Medicine as a Clinical Herbalist, Ithaca, New York in 1995 and received with honors a Bachelor of Science degree from Duke University, Durham, North Carolina in 1985 double-majoring in Zoology and Computer Science.

FC July 2009

Spring Teachings 2009

North Carolina

April 17-19 Herbal Conference at Warren Wilson College, Swannanoa

An herbal conference of this nature has been called for in the Katuah region for a number of years now. A couple of dozen of the region's finest herbalists along with octogenarian James Duke will be coming together to share their experiences around health and our plant allies. I highly recommend that you show up if you can and tell others you know. Together we can be the change.
Check out all the details at:
www.warren-wilson.edu/~herbalsymposium/index.php

April 22 Earth Day! May you spend time out with the plants!

April 23 6:00-8:00 Getting to Know the Wild Food Families Appalachia School of Holistic Herbalism West Asheville

Increase your confidence in harvesting wild foods by learning the major plant families in the wild who are food oriented (and ones to be careful with). Having a copy of "Botany in a Day" by Thomas Elpel would be a good touchstone for the talk. Donations appreciated. For directions go to: www.herbsheal.com

April 24 11:00-4:00 Practical Ayurveda with Joseph Immel Pearson Community Gardens Asheville

Come spend the time together going deeper into Ayurveda (the knowledge of Life) a healing system over 5000 years old. We will share an Ayruvedic Lunch and walk through the gardens learning the yoga of plants and who the plants are to us from an Ayurvedic perspective. Let us know you're coming by emailing me or Joseph at joseph@joyfulbelly.com

April 26 11:00-2:00 Native Plant Walk--Food and Medicine Duke Gardens Durham

Meet at the parking lot entrance at 10:45. Bring a lunch and something to share. Rain or Shine. I worked in these gardens in 1985 and feel a special kindred connection with this impressive plant collection. Donations appreciated.

May--starting the Online Botany Discussion Group

This is my ninth year facilitating botanical journeys through Thomas Elpel´s ¨Botany in a Day¨. Get a copy of the book on my website or from the author at www.hollowtop.com. Send an email to planttalk2009@yahoo.com to sign up for the circle. There are 13 mailings over the next six months sent every other week starting in May.
May 1-3 Doug Elliott at Sunnybank Inn Hot Springs Contact Elmer at 828-622-7206 for more information.

May 4 6:00-8:00 Emerging Planetary Medicines Appalachian School of Holistic Herbalism

We have begun going through unprecedented changes in the world and midst all the chaos a new world is rising. Come and join in a discussion of the plants and healing systems of the world that will guide us through these times. You can get a copy of Frank Cook's thesis on this topic at his website: www.plantsandhealers.com. Donations Appreciated. For directions go to: www.herbsheal.com

May 5-7 Wildroots Walk on the Appalachian Trail in Madison County
Contact Natalie crazgnat@yahoo.com or call her at 206-661-6550

May 8 Day at Sunswept Sanctuary Madison County Reconnecting with the Earth

Walk gently with us through the Sunswept plant sanctuary and get a glimpse of the high mountain ancient flora. We will come together to vision and appreciate these times we are in. Enjoy local food and music and sharing. More information from dory@sunsweptfarm.net

May 13 Being Fed by Nature with Marc Williams Boone, NC 10:00-5:00

Come join us for walks around a farm and to a nearby waterfall. Nourish yourself on a local and wild lunch and discussions on plant knowledge, natural healing, food preparation, and the importance of community. For more information contact Marc at italmon@hotmail.com. Come together with us to feel the high vibes around Boone!

Virginia

May 15-2o Teachings around Roanoke and Floyd

There are lots of circles planned over this week of immersion into the Virginia mountain cultures. I am looking forward to it. For details of the Floyd/Roanoke events visit: fourdirectionspermaculture.org and you can also contact Pamela via 540-322-2192

Massachusetts

May 22-24 The Yoga of Plants Health Retreat with Joseph Immel Williamstown

Ayurveda and Herbalism offer experiential approaches to using the five senses for holistic self-healing and growth. We will discuss these ancient healing systems and how they relate to food and medicine around us locally. Through plant walks and hands-on experiences we'll develop tools to help you feel, organ by organ, how food affects consciousness. We'll introduce ayurvedic anatomy, focusing on mind and ego and it's relationship to the natural world. Our weekend will also introduce Neo-Shamanism, Goethean Science (Phenomenology) , and share visions for the future of planetary medicine. Residential accommodations available. Nourishing wholesome meals will be prepared.
Please go to www.froglotusyoga.com for details. May 25 Genesis Farm 10:00-3:00 Wild Foods and Medicines Walk Blairstown Contact them at 908-362-6735, or through their website : www.genesisfarm.org for more details.

Pennsylvania

May 28 Plant Walk Philadelphia 2:00-5:00
Contact David Siller at dsiller@yahoo.com for info.

Maryland

May 29 Relocalizing Food and Medicine Talk 6:30-8:30 at Green Earth Goods Clarksburg contact Niki at info@greenearthgoods.net or 301-916-2035

May 30 Neo-shamanic Plants: Meeting the Healing Plants a day in James Duke´s Magical Gardens 10-3 Fulton, MD Contact me for more details. A light meal will be provided. Donations appreciated (suggested amount $35-$50).
California June 7 Seaweed Gathering Mendocino County

Come share time together in the slippery intertidal zone and learn a dozen edible/medicinal seaweeds that make up one of the five pillars of abundant living. Hear some of the stories about these amazing ancient beings. We will gather seaweed near daybreak so staying near by the night before is advised.

contact Angelina at lunablue11@yahoo.com for more information
Future Teachings

Southwest

June 30 -July 8 National Rainbow -- New Mexico July 9-20 Teaching with Joseph Immel, Ayurvedic Practitioner around Southwest
Details on this have not been worked out. If you have suggestions of places for us to teach please contact me.

North Carolina July 31- Aug 2 Plants and Mushrooms as Allies with Ken Crouse Sunnybank Inn Hot Springs contact Elmer at 828-622-7206 for more information

Aug 5-6 Wild Foods and Fermentation with Sandor Katz at the Ashevillage Institute. For more information contact: http://www.kleiwerks.org/events_projects.php or 828.225.8820 Aug 7-9 16th SE Permaculture Summer Gathering Celo
Come join in the fun and excitement of being a permaculture village for a few days. For complete information contact: www.southeasternpermaculture.org Maine

Aug 23-Aug 29 Applied Nature Studies Humboldt Institute

We will pursue an experiential approach to encountering the world. We will initially discuss the context of the phenomena that we are studying--be it plants, mushrooms, seaweeds or the land forms we explore. Our aim is to pursue a holistic understanding of nature bringing together such diverse fields as Botany, Mycology, Fermentation, Permaculture, Ethnobotany, and Ecology. We will take frequent trips into the surrounding ecosystems, and learn the techniques for collecting from the wild. From these gatherings we will process and ferment wild foods and natural medicines. Scholarships and college credit available.
For details contact: http://www.eaglehill.us/
United Kingdom Sept 13-25 Findhorn: Immersion into the Magical Plant Kindom Scotland For details contact: www.Findhorncollege.org

Sept 27-Oct 17 Teachings around Devon and London

Oct 18-24 Walking the Green Path short course at Schumacher College
www.schumachercollege.org.uk for more information. I will be teaching with Ethnobotanist Nancy Turner. Scholarships available.

Tennessee

Oct 29-31 Wild Foods and Fermentation with Sandor Katz Short Mountain
www.wildfermentation.com
North Carolina
Nov 7 Plant Day at Pickard´s Mountain 10:00-4:00 Chapel Hill
pickardsmountain@gmail.com.

California

December--Mushroom Gatherings and More
Costa Rica

End of December though mid-January 2010 contact www.artofunion.com India 2010

Later January through February 2010
Late August through Beg October Yoga Bus cross country journey

Monthly discussions online at the soon-to-exist yahoo group Emerging Planetary Medicines. Add your thoughts and reflect on the ongoing discussions. The time is now to relocalize and renaturalize our medicine. Get a copy at www.plantsandhealers.com.

Spring Forth 2009

Dear Family and Friends,

Here we are dancing through time in 2009. Most people I meet say they feel time is moving faster. I concur and note there still are ways to slow it all down. Upon reflection some that come to mind are: Holding your breath; or standing in line to use the toilet during a time of need; or going for a jog; or bouts of insomnia and more. What have you noticed about time? Believe me when I write that I know time is precious. Thank you for taking the time to reflect on these words. I am doing my best to keep our connection grassroots despite the temptations to automate.
I last wrote you in December as I was about to embark on journeys to the south. Well, I have been traveling since then through two new countries: Panama and Colombia. (And even a couple of visits to a border town of Brazil!). I was teaching on either side of these, first in Costa Rica and finally in Peru, my 4th and 5th visits respectively. Please read the account of this time on my website.
The next few seasons for me are full as they are for many of us. Together we are much more resilient than apart. I have just arrived from west coast family time here to the east for the next couple of months with the coming schedule below.
For the ninth year I offer a discussion group through the book, "Botany in Day " by Thomas Elpel. You can order the book through my website or his at www.hollowtop.com. We will be starting in May and going for 6 months with a emailing every two weeks. If you would like to receive more information on the circle please email planttalk2009@yahoo.com.
After a year of effort I am excited to live into my recent receipt of a Masters in Holistic Science. My thesis, "Emerging Planetary Medicines", is now available on my website. Please order a copy and engage in the discussion of how to relocalize medicine and reskill ourselves. I am hoping to engage a 1000 people in the discussion over the next year.

Spring Teachings 2009

North Carolina

April 17-19 Herbal Conference at Warren Wilson College, Swannanoa

An herbal conference of this nature has been called for in the Katuah region for a number of years now. A couple of dozen of the region's finest herbalists along with octogenarian James Duke will be coming together to share their experiences around health and our plant allies. I highly recommend that you show up if you can and tell others you know. Together we can be the change.
Check out all the details at:
www.warren-wilson.edu/~herbalsymposium/index.php

April 22 Earth Day! May you spend time out with the plants!

April 23 6:00-8:00 Getting to Know the Wild Food Families Appalachia School of Holistic Herbalism West Asheville

Increase your confidence in harvesting wild foods by learning the major plant families in the wild who are food oriented (and ones to be careful with). Having a copy of "Botany in a Day" by Thomas Elpel would be a good touchstone for the talk. Donations appreciated. For directions go to: www.herbsheal.com

April 24 11:00-4:00 Practical Ayurveda with Joseph Immel Pearson Community Gardens Asheville

Come spend the time together going deeper into Ayurveda (the knowledge of Life) a healing system over 5000 years old. We will share an Ayruvedic Lunch and walk through the gardens learning the yoga of plants and who the plants are to us from an Ayurvedic perspective. Let us know you're coming by emailing me or Joseph at joseph@joyfulbelly.com

April 26 11:00-2:00 Native Plant Walk--Food and Medicine Duke Gardens Durham

Meet at the parking lot entrance at 10:45. Bring a lunch and something to share. Rain or Shine. I worked in these gardens in 1985 and feel a special kindred connection with this impressive plant collection. Donations appreciated.

May--starting the Online Botany Discussion Group

This is my ninth year facilitating botanical journeys through Thomas Elpel´s ¨Botany in a Day¨. Get a copy of the book on my website or from the author at www.hollowtop.com. Send an email to planttalk2009@yahoo.com to sign up for the circle. There are 13 mailings over the next six months sent every other week starting in May.
May 1-3 Doug Elliott at Sunnybank Inn Hot Springs Contact Elmer at 828-622-7206 for more information.

May 4 6:00-8:00 Emerging Planetary Medicines Appalachian School of Holistic Herbalism

We have begun going through unprecedented changes in the world and midst all the chaos a new world is rising. Come and join in a discussion of the plants and healing systems of the world that will guide us through these times. You can get a copy of Frank Cook's thesis on this topic at his website: www.plantsandhealers.com. Donations Appreciated. For directions go to: www.herbsheal.com

May 5-7 Wildroots Walk on the Appalachian Trail in Madison County
Contact Natalie crazgnat@yahoo.com or call her at 206-661-6550

May 8 Day at Sunswept Sanctuary Madison County Reconnecting with the Earth

Walk gently with us through the Sunswept plant sanctuary and get a glimpse of the high mountain ancient flora. We will come together to vision and appreciate these times we are in. Enjoy local food and music and sharing. More information from dory@sunsweptfarm.net

May 13 Being Fed by Nature with Marc Williams Boone, NC 10:00-5:00

Come join us for walks around a farm and to a nearby waterfall. Nourish yourself on a local and wild lunch and discussions on plant knowledge, natural healing, food preparation, and the importance of community. For more information contact Marc at italmon@hotmail.com. Come together with us to feel the high vibes around Boone!

Virginia

May 15-2o Teachings around Roanoke and Floyd

There are lots of circles planned over this week of immersion into the Virginia mountain cultures. I am looking forward to it. For details of the Floyd/Roanoke events visit: fourdirectionspermaculture.org and you can also contact Pamela via 540-322-2192

Massachusetts

May 22-24 The Yoga of Plants Health Retreat with Joseph Immel Williamstown

Ayurveda and Herbalism offer experiential approaches to using the five senses for holistic self-healing and growth. We will discuss these ancient healing systems and how they relate to food and medicine around us locally. Through plant walks and hands-on experiences we'll develop tools to help you feel, organ by organ, how food affects consciousness. We'll introduce ayurvedic anatomy, focusing on mind and ego and it's relationship to the natural world. Our weekend will also introduce Neo-Shamanism, Goethean Science (Phenomenology) , and share visions for the future of planetary medicine. Residential accommodations available. Nourishing wholesome meals will be prepared.
Please go to www.froglotusyoga.com for details. May 25 Genesis Farm 10:00-3:00 Wild Foods and Medicines Walk Blairstown Contact them at 908-362-6735, or through their website : www.genesisfarm.org for more details.

Pennsylvania

May 28 Plant Walk Philadelphia 2:00-5:00
Contact David Siller at dsiller@yahoo.com for info.

Maryland

May 29 Relocalizing Food and Medicine Talk 6:30-8:30 at Green Earth Goods Clarksburg contact Niki at info@greenearthgoods.net or 301-916-2035

May 30 Neo-shamanic Plants: Meeting the Healing Plants a day in James Duke´s Magical Gardens 10-3 Fulton, MD Contact me for more details. A light meal will be provided. Donations appreciated (suggested amount $35-$50).
California June 7 Seaweed Gathering Mendocino County

Come share time together in the slippery intertidal zone and learn a dozen edible/medicinal seaweeds that make up one of the five pillars of abundant living. Hear some of the stories about these amazing ancient beings. We will gather seaweed near daybreak so staying near by the night before is advised.

contact Angelina at lunablue11@yahoo.com for more information

I hope to see a lot of you this spring. I intend to attend most of my regular summer migratory stops. This year I have been given a number of opportunities to share about walking the greenpath to the wider world. I would be so excited if some of you decided to join me. Please look at the summer and autumn teachings below and see what inspires you to participate. Come make the circle strong. Stay Tuned! I will work hard to keep my website up-to-date. Thank you, webmaster Joseph!

I think this brings us to the present. I hope you are ready to engage the abundance of spring! I have been enjoying the lush greens coming forth! Hurray for LIFE! See you out there.

Love and Light,

Frank
www.plantsandhealers.com

Future Teachings

Southwest

June 30 -July 8 National Rainbow -- New Mexico July 9-20 Teaching with Joseph Immel, Ayurvedic Practitioner around Southwest
Details on this have not been worked out. If you have suggestions of places for us to teach please contact me.

North Carolina July 31- Aug 2 Plants and Mushrooms as Allies with Ken Crouse Sunnybank Inn Hot Springs contact Elmer at 828-622-7206 for more information

Aug 5-6 Wild Foods and Fermentation with Sandor Katz at the Ashevillage Institute. For more information contact: http://www.kleiwerks.org/events_projects.php or 828.225.8820 Aug 7-9 16th SE Permaculture Summer Gathering Celo
Come join in the fun and excitement of being a permaculture village for a few days. For complete information contact: www.southeasternpermaculture.org Maine

Aug 23-Aug 29 Applied Nature Studies Humboldt Institute

We will pursue an experiential approach to encountering the world. We will initially discuss the context of the phenomena that we are studying--be it plants, mushrooms, seaweeds or the land forms we explore. Our aim is to pursue a holistic understanding of nature bringing together such diverse fields as Botany, Mycology, Fermentation, Permaculture, Ethnobotany, and Ecology. We will take frequent trips into the surrounding ecosystems, and learn the techniques for collecting from the wild. From these gatherings we will process and ferment wild foods and natural medicines. Scholarships and college credit available.
For details contact: http://www.eaglehill.us/
United Kingdom Sept 13-25 Findhorn: Immersion into the Magical Plant Kindom Scotland For details contact: www.Findhorncollege.org

Sept 27-Oct 17 Teachings around Devon and London

Oct 18-24 Walking the Green Path short course at Schumacher College
www.schumachercollege.org.uk for more information. I will be teaching with Ethnobotanist Nancy Turner. Scholarships available.

Tennessee

Oct 29-31 Wild Foods and Fermentation with Sandor Katz Short Mountain
www.wildfermentation.com
North Carolina
Nov 7 Plant Day at Pickard´s Mountain 10:00-4:00 Chapel Hill
pickardsmountain@gmail.com.

California

December--Mushroom Gatherings and More
Costa Rica

End of December though mid-January 2010 contact www.artofunion.com India 2010

Later January through February 2010
Late August through Beg October Yoga Bus cross country journey

Monthly discussions online at the soon-to-exist yahoo group Emerging Planetary Medicines. Add your thoughts and reflect on the ongoing discussions. The time is now to relocalize and renaturalize our medicine. Get a copy at www.plantsandhealers.com.

Costa Rica, Panama and Colombia

A Holistic Thrival Quest I arrived into San Jose on December 28th a bit exhausted from 17 hours of travel but my spirits quickly lifted upon seeing Tenasi smiling as I came out the airport. We headed immediately to the closest fruit stand and bought a nice collection of fresh tropical foods for our needs of the day then drove to the Ark Herb Farm (www.arkherbfarm.com). It was great to see Tin and Satya and their 3-month year old as well as several people who would be joining us on the journey ahead. This was our fourth year gathering to go on a holistic thrival quest.
We stayed that night at the farm up in a treehouse looking over the bright city far off in the distance. The next day we walked about the wonderful gardens as I worked hard to bring my tropical plant knowledge back into my forebrain. That afternoon four of us headed out of the valley and up to the high mountains of Cerro del la Muerte and had a delightful night with the Seelye family and the next morning Janie took us on a several hour walk about the land--nibbling through the garden, climbing around in an ancient hollow Podocarpus, then hiking through the lush forests up to their old homestead. In the afternoon we drove down the western side of the mountains to San Isidro to get food supplies and pick up more people. Then out to the Diamante Valley where we received a big welcome from Rosita, owner of the community center/restaurant Mucho Gusto. There 30 of us gathered for a wonderful feast. The seven of us now together headed to our base camp joined there by my brother, Ken. In our opening circle we emphasized some of the principles of holistic living that include adaptablility and staying open to emergent and self-organizing principles. This was quickly grounded in reality when the next morning we decided to go on a 24-hour hike up to the cave that loomed in the hills above us rather than drive. What made this decision particularly exciting was that no one in our circle had ever done this walk. The eight of us took the trail down to one of the creeks joined by a neighbor dog who stayed with us practically the whole trip. Soon we left the trail and several members of the group skilled with the machete made a trail as we walked over hill and dale. We were tempted to cut over to the river but knew there were several waterfalls we needed to circumnavigate, so on we went becoming consumed by nature. After several hours we did cut over and followed the wonderful, fresh Diamante River for a while passing through areas seldom visited by humans. This all took many hours longer than we had anticipated and eventually near dusk we came to a waterfall we could not easily scale. So we backed up to a nice spot along the river and found a place to camp for the night under a big tree. We shared a wonderful night of stories from our lives and fell asleep to the lullaby of the river.
At dawn several scouts went out looking for a way around and soon we found a trail that steeply climbed up and out of the gorge and eventually we came back to the barbed wire fences of humanity and made our way to the road that led to the cave.

Cave Time

There was a big crowd waiting for us when we got to the cave (I assume most of you know about the cave as I have written about it these past 3 years--but in short it is a retreat center inside a cave with a with the highest waterfall in Central America going over it and dropping hundreds of feet below.) We shared our story of walking there from down the river and jumped into the festivities. Over the next several days we did several plant walks around the farm near by and a memorable walk through the woods with plant maestro Marcus. He fed 20 of us on the heart of a young palm he skillfully harvested and shared. We immersed deeply into eating wild food and sharing several very significant circles to bring in the new year. First we participated in a chocolate ceremony led by a neo-shaman named Keith from Guatamala. I was particularly blown out by this as just a couple of months before I had felt in my own body the amazing healing qualities of chocolate when combined with hot peppers. And this was essence of the ceremony. The shaman explained that the chocolate opened up the heart chakra and this was evident by the emotional releases by many of the people present. He said, ¨Chocolate opens the door of perception but does not push you through like some other sacraments.¨
The next day 19 of us rose early in the morning to participate in a very hot, cleansing sweatlodge. We journeyed to many places together and by the end of the third round most everyone´s head was on the ground. I certainly felt we had been in a womb together and were all born anew. My brother, Ken, and I walked in silence afterwards and jumped off a thirty foot waterfall to signify rebirth.

The Om Farm

The next day we walked down the mountain and made our way to the OM farm stewarded by Joyus and others. We spent the night there and then I facilitated a plant walk the next morning after a rousing ¨worker´s yoga¨ led by Joyous. Then we headed out and began a walk up the river toward a little village called La Florida. Along the way we stopped for the night at the bamboo community of Raw Foods Chef Eric. He gave a memorable lecture on Raw Foods Philosophy and treated us to a delicious dinner. In La Florida, a kind brother, Mateo, hosted our group and we had a couple of days there to rest and go deeper with the plants. Highlights included some wonderful some wonderful group massage and a feast celebrating Mateo´s daughter´s birthday.

Down to Ocean

Most of our crew opted to climb onto the great landrover Blue (that runs on used veggie oil!) and take the truck to the ocean, but four of us decided it would be memorable to walk. With most of our weight taken ahead we had a great walk along a dirt road that led us through a nature preserve, along the ridge and then gently down, down to the ocean below with some beautiful views and lush nature.
During our time in the valley we learned some new edibles including Heliconia and Panama Hat hearts as well as one of the species of Centropogon. The group did some wonderful shared experiences with trying the many hard-shelled polypores we encountered either by chewing them or making delicious teas. Over our week plus of traveling we sampled over 25 of these polypores (none are known to be poisonous in the world). I was impressed how willing people were to experiment and how energized they were by the medicine.

Singing Alive Festival

We spent a couple of days at Tenasi´s recooperating and with the help of Sal and Wendy, Tenasi and I did a marathon session of compiling a small pocket guide to the families and genera of CR. (You can contact him for copies at www.artofunion.com.) It was in this time that the earthquakes rumbled. Though mellow where we were, some people died around San Jose.
We then all headed to a music festival at Suzanne´s farm that grows hibiscus calyxs for red zinger and sesame seeds and cocao among other things. The featured teacher was Morgan Brent who co-incidently was one of my thesis contributors and led us one morning through an awakening of the evolutionary plant through participatory story and music. I facilitated a plant walk later with an enthusiastic group and throughout enjoyed some amazing local foods. I can see clearly the sixty of us dancing around a fire under a very bright full moon!
I had a chance to meet the well-known herbalist Ed Burnhart and share some ideas with him. Our group stayed at a house near by and we were led through a memorable ear, nose, and tongue yoga by Tenasi our last morning. Our holistic thrival group held our closing circle, sharing our reflections of our time. Our core group of around 12 shared in some wonderful adventure and passed on the seeds of our holistic thrival quest to over 120 people in the region. It was a very successful fourth year of gathering together in honor of Gaia.

Pheonix Rising from the Fire

A group of us joined with others from the festival and made our way up to mountain top for another night with the wonderful Seelye Family. I was delighted to see Andy had returned from his tour guiding and the next day he and sister, Janie, led our large group up the mountain to the famous paramo. I love that world up there with its rare plants and incredible views. We were led through yoga by Joyus and Tenasi. One of their meditations encouraged us to, ¨Give thanks for all the plant beings within a few feet of you. Say hi and get to know them.¨ All along the way we were told many wonderful stories by the Seelyes. Then back to the house for a meal.
That evening I left with the OM Farm crew, returning to the Ark Herb Farm for another night with the family there and time in the beautiful gardens. In the morning we walked through the medicinal gardens slowly with Tin learning lots then we selected plants to bring back to their eco-ashram. We said our goodbyes and headed into San Jose. I caught an evening bus ride back out the other side of the valley.

After a little time of uncertainty I made it to the hostel where a group of college art students from Rhode Island were staying. I had come to share with them time out nature with daily walks and talks. We a had several good full days. We took some memorable walks and I enjoyed seeing their talented work giving them a naturalist´s persective.
Then I passed by the ark farm one last time and caught buses east out to the Caribbean side of Costa Rica, an area I had never been. I made it to Puerto Viejo about the time the roads gave way to pot-holed dirt ones. The local bus dropped me right at Miraflores Eco-lodge(www.mirafloreslodge.com), run by Pamela Carpenter who pioneered in this area earth-friendly lodges twenty years ago. Now there are many. She is also a world expert on Heliconias among other skills. She shared with me many wonderful stories from her adventuresome life.
I only had a few days there but quickly felt right at home enjoying a day at a botanical garden meeting many interesting people. Then off I zoomed down to the border with Panama, very rural out in the lands of the BriBri Indians. After a couple of hours I was through the border at Sixeola.

Panama Life with the Forcinelli's

January 22, 2009--from my journal

So the US has a new president and americans wait to see what will come with it. I wonder whether the speeches were as inspiring or is the honeymoon over?
I travelled into Panama yesterday from a sweet little nook down in Caribbean-side CR lower corner--lots going on in that region. Very different than over the other side. Let me know if you want contacts down that way.
I crossed smoothly over the border across a delapidated bridge and then jumped in a group taxi for an hour down to the boat launch at Almirante, where an exciting high speed boat carried us out to the island town of Bocas famous for its surfing beaches.
Several members of the Forcinelli family showed up in their boat and wooshed me off to the southern islands and around to the Caribbean sea to the island of Bastimentos. This was a memorable journey securing us so the waves would not swamp us then into a shallow coral reef zone inside the breakers and onward to a bouey that we tied-off on and waded into shore with our provisions.
The Forcinelli's are a little village with nine members. I had not seen them for nearly 4 years. They had a couple more children to meet but quickly it felt very outside of time and space to be together again.

Day 5--- January 25th---Wow so much has happened with the family over the last few days. Exciting to be here on the island. More soon.

Day 9---January 29th--- Remarkably we will be heading over the border to Costa RIca today and tonight I will be giving a talk on transition culture at Miraflores in Cr traveling with the 9 members of the Forcinelli tribe. Very exciting. Two days ago Frank F and I headed out at first light to walk the length of Bastimentos Island. What an adventure! 10 hours later we entered the town of the same name and spent a little time with Bruce Hill who had created an edible forest-aquaculture paradise over the previous 5 years. It is hard to capture in only a few sentences the adventure through the wilds of the coast with the ocean crashing up against the coral reefs of yesteryears then inland through swamps and dense groves of Difffenbachias. We trotted down the Playa Larga for a few kilometers feeling the sensation of an isolated island and our bodies working. I was taken back to my athletic days as a long distance runner. We were reasonably lost for several hours when we headed inland to go around a point. Yes, we knew we were in the middle of an island only a few miles wide and 13 miles long but when every direction is thick with jungle it is easy to get fatigued and discouraged. We kept our act together and made it back to the coast ironically reappearing through the back of a Christian retreat center climbing in over their garbage dump. Coconut water never tasted so good on the pristine beaches that day.

That night I slept very well, my body fatigued from the exertion. But from living the good life with this family I noticed how little I suffered the next day. I was thankful, though for a day of rest and spent it entirely focused on writing mushroom chapters for a book written by my friend, the philosopher Alan "Mushroom" Muskat.

Sea Adventure

The next day Frank F, his daughter, Frankie Jane and I headed out on a fun adventure around the island by boat to fill it up with plants from the plant man Bruce Hill. Though it was a beautiful day, the waves were high and acting strangely. Frank F was uncertain about how hard it would be to traverse the seas but off we went and after a little while he said, "looks like we are through the worst of it." So I relaxed a little bit but soon he was saying, "I can't see the point. What do you see Frankie?" Frankie was at the bow looking for coral and giving direction.
Moments later we were hitting coral. "We're too close to shore," she said, "we need to head out deeper." It was an unusual day in a world of unusual days and the narrow channel that led us out between the coral beds which normally had a characteristic look of the water acting in choppy way was no where to be seen. Frank F. turned the boat out to sea with the big engine still biting coral, seeking deeper water. Just then a freak wave two feet higher than the others appeared and I saw it looming to my left.

I had been hit by a wave one foot over the boat on my first day and it hit hard. I knew this would be like a wall and was steeling myself for it. But that is not what happened. The wave began to break before reaching the boat and in a second it picked the whole boat up and flipped us 8 feet in the air completely over. It all happened so fast and the next thing I knew I was under water under the boat completely disoriented. My body was relaxed and I kept waiting for a blow to come from somewhere. Fortunately it never did. It felt as if my dreads were stuck (which I found out later was Frank F pulling on them to get me out!) and quickly I realized I need to get to the surface and away from the boat.
I popped up on the surface fifty yards from shore with stuff strewn bobbing about. I was not in a lifejacket and I could feel my shoes dragging me down so I kicked them off. I grabbed some floating items and heard Frank F. yelling for me to get away from the boat. More waves hit upon me as I made my way to shore. The water was embarrassingly shallow but it was also full of sharp, biting coral. I could feel my legs and feet had already taken a beating.
I could see a whole indigenous family standing on the shore and two young guys in kayukas coming out towards us picking wreckage. My legs and feet were cut up some from the coral but otherwise I felt fine. I kicked into shore and dragged what I had brought above the shoreline. I walked the beach a bit and picked up other items and watched as Frank F. with a number of others joining in flipped the boat back over. I put on a life preserver and floated back out there and helped guide the boat full of water back to shore. The motor had some damage at least externally and the boat was scrapped up with its awning ripped off. One rescuer jumped in the boat and began bailing away and Frank F. pointed out that the billage pump was still working. As we approached the shore the boat got lighter from the effort of man and machine and soon we caught a small wave and began moving the boat higher and higher from the reach of the waves. Then Frank F. and a couple of others went snorkeling for several items denser than water like the anchor, finding a badly damaged snorkel mask which I realized could have been my head. After a while of reflection and gathering everything together the three of us walked the half an hour to home telling the native people we would be back in the next few hours. It seemed like a long walk and as the shock began to wear off we each dealt differently with the reality of what had happened. We kept mentioning all we had to be thankful for.
After a while we got back to the house and explained the story to a surprised family. We decided to pack up the house and head out then, a day early on our trip to Costa Rica together . I had been contacted by Pamela at Miraflores and asked to come and do a weekend of teaching. The family needed to cross the border to renew their visa. So we spent an hour packing everything up and off we hiked slowly along the beach back towards the boat. Once there we loaded some things into it and Frank F and two of the villagers paddled the boat along the shore while the rest of us walk. They easily maneuvered over the coral with the engine up and met us at the dock around the point. We made arrangements for a high speed boat to tow us to Bocas and just like that we were all sitting in the tow boat with Frank F riding his boat in tow zooming along. Unbelievable.
The boat repair people were very sympathetic. We stayed the night catching up on internet and doing laundry. Then caught the morning boat to the mainland where I repeated my journey in reverse back to Costa Rica in the company of the nine Forcinelli's. Many little adventures occurred along the way but all in all it was smooth and we arrived in the late afternoon. That night I gave my talk to a dozen people. The next day we woke up early and went to the local market and then we had a big group of 35+ people show up for a plant walk and in the afternoon with a lot of help by the Forcinelli tribe, we harvested wild foods and combined them with local foods to make a feast together. It was a great success.

Punta Mona

The next day I and the family headed back to the 20 year old Finca La Isla's Botanical Gardens just north of Puerta Viejo (www.greencoast.com) and were conducted on a stellar walk by Kiawe who had grown up there and knew the plants well. The next day the Forcinelli´s headed home to Panama and I stayed on a few more days having some wonderful time with my host Pamela. We accompanied a group of people out to the well-known permaculture project called Punta Mona (www.puntamona.org) and I gave a couple of plant walks and a talk on Walking the Green Path. They have done a wonderful job creating a food forest around them and have lots of people showing up each day to learn from their experiences.
We headed back to the eco-lodge the next day by boat in high seas and then it really began to rain all through the night. The next day at the Gaia Permaculture Center run by charismatic and knowledgeable Silvio I witnessed some incredible flooding and wondered if I would be able to leave the next day. Luckly, I caught a ride with a friendly French couple back to San Jose seeing lots of flooded areas until we got up in the mountains. I knew I was on the right path when we were emmersed in a huge triple rainbow as we entered into the high valley around San Jose.
I stayed another day with my friends at the Ark Herb Farm then caught a plane the next day toward Bogata. Unfortunately I was delayed a day in Panama City due to engine problems and was put up for the night at the Sheraton Hotel. Talk about feeling like a stranger in a strange land I did my best to relax and go with the flow.

Colombia

The next day I got on a morning flight and flew to Bogata. My hosts Mauro and Carolina came to greet me at the airport and took me home to their cozy home in the university district. The first couple of days were wonderful checking out the area and working on my many projects. I had looked forward to slowing down to get some work done during my time in Colombia before the intensity of the group trip in Peru. I certainly did slow down but not as I imagined. Instead of getting work done, I got sick with fever and no energy or appetite. The pollution of the city was intense and over 5 days I spent a lot of time sleeping. I rode the experience as best I could and was thankful for the stable, calm space of C and M´s home. I also grew to a new level of appreciation for Calendula--which I made poultices of for a staph infection on my foot. What an incredible healer!
All my plans and work were put to the side as I danced with my dis-ease. I will remember most the street people who keep showing up each day finding creative ways to live. I had some quality time with C and M and did get some work done. I learned some good lessons in not pushing the river...

Leticia

After several different healing approaches over the week I turned the corner toward health. None-too-soon I was saying goodbye to that high country world and boarded a plane for the jungle town of Leticia. It is perhaps a tenth the size of Iquitos but with much the same flair. It is located on the Amazon River across from Peru and next to Brazil. I actually had a little time in the border town in Brazil buying and launching on my trip to Peru. But most of my time was around Leticia.
It was a challenge to find my hostel. It was listed online and I had some directions to it. I landed back into the sea level humid tropics and walked the two kilometers into town. The town is laid on a grid and I figured how hard can it be to find this hostel. Well two hours later, exhausted, I was finally taken directly to the hostel which was unmarked and deserted. My guide was a taxi driver, Rudolf, a worldly elder man who'd traveled the world for 12 years before settling in Leticia 28 years ago. He affirmed my faith in angels. I would have liked to have heard more of his stories but once he left, I never found him again despite my efforts.
He called the phone number on the door and soon the owner, Gustavo, showed up and I was granted a room. It was a minimal place, very rainbow and the owner was a character. The walls were adorned with all sorts of maps and stuffed animals from the jungle. Memorable. But it had a kitchen and a steady flow of foreigners as it was pretty much the only backpackers in town. The owner had a ¨mi casa, tu casa¨attitude which I appreciated, though he was temperamental and complex.
Soon I hooked up with my buddy, Justin, whom I know from Schumacher. He was on a 3 month Churchill scholarship learning from indigenous peoples and studying third world farming practices. We had a wonderful few days together sharing stories and having some adventures.
Our most memorable outing was a visit to a Witoto village outside of town and spending the day with elder 72-year-old, Fernando. He was wonderful to be with. His bare feet, wrinkled hands and his deep strong voice revealed his connection to the earth. With grace and ease he took us on a wonderful plant walk around the village seeing many plants I knew and some I did not including the palm [chambera (Astrocarya)] used to make the wonderful woven bags and mats. What an arduous process to remove the inner fiber of the young branches and convert them into useful material. I really enjoyed seeing Fernando work with the fiber. He explained, "To cure somebody, you have to pray...We believe in these things."
We also got a first hand account of how they process coca leaves inside the maloka, the central meeting house: toasting them and mixing them with the ash of Cerecropia leaves. They do not ferment the leaves as the literature reports is done. Is this a lost tradition, misinformation, or a regional difference? Ongoing research... Coca use is being discouraged by the government, but as Fernando says, "We need it to walk and talk. It is part of who we are." The day was full of memorable stories of rubber barons, sacred plants and human relations told by this elder and translated by Justin.
One night out to dinner the rains came and dumped so much water. I really enjoyed the drink called Copaozu, which is made from the pulp of a relative of cocao, Theobroma grandiflora. During a break in the rain we made a dash for home having to take shelter along the way for lots more rain to come down. We squatted dry, telling stories and watching people try to navigate home through the flooded streets. Eventually we headed out, going our own ways and I got lost for a second time for half an hour, but finally made it back to my bed, wet and tired, and fell asleep.
I road on the back of a motorcycle a couple of times, which was probably the first time in twenty or more years. Fun though dangerous. My journey up the Amazon to Iquitos was memorable. I arranged a taxi to pick me up at 4:15 am and take me over the border to Brazil where I crossed onto a floating dock in the pre-dawn. From there I climbed into a little boat which held 4 at a time and was motored out into the dark river for a 1o minute crossing in the dark and rain to a bigger speed boat docked on the Peruvian island, Santa Rosa. There a border guard stamped my passport and I climbed onto the bullet-shaped boat and got my seat. The boat held 50 of us and at dawn we took off, zooming fast up the river at 30-40 mph. I did what I could to sleep-covering my eyes from the light and my ears from the noise of the powerful motor. I did manage to sleep a while and awoke to videos playing of some European James Bond who fights like Bruce Lee. I think called "The Translator"--no recommendations here. The journey was scheduled to be twelve hours but we had a couple of breakdowns. Humbling to be tied to some small thorn-covered island while the mechanic clanked and banged for a couple of hours. But somehow he got it together and off we were again. The videos never stopped and when we did, villagers would come on with fresh fruits and such that the passengers gobbled up. They served a couple of meals that I had no interest in, but I had brought supplies and plenty of work to do. Somehow the time passed and before dark I arrived in the big jungle town of Iquitos. This was my fifth time there, first time in 2 ½ years. Fortunately I had a few days to recuperate and prepare for the group that was arriving.

FC
March 2009

Check out further travels on my website: www.plantsandhealers.com

California

Bay Area

Dec 6-7 San Francisco Mushroom Foray: Oakland Science Museum. I will be at the Edible Mushroom table on Saturday--come by and say hi. For more information: www.mssf.org

Dec 7 Walkabout Berkeley followed by a Tea and Talk.
Come join us for a plant walk around the neighborhood. We will meet at Soupster Kristan's house: 1910 virginia st. berkeley (10 min from dwntn or n. berk bart) arrive at noon. Please come scent free. Contact Kristan at kwillits@earthlink.net to let us know you are coming.

Nevada City Area

Dec 9 Re-localizing Medicine: a talk presenting my master's thesis, "Emerging Planetary Medicines" 6:00 Briarpatch Food Co-op.

Dec 10 Multi-Skilling Playshop 4:30-7:30 location TBA

Dec 12-13 11th Annual Sierra Mushroom Foray
Talk by Christopher Hobbs Friday 7:30 pm and Foray starts Saturday 10:00 at the Columbia School House. Contact Daniel at danmadrone@yahoo.com for details.

Dec 18 Plants and Healing Ways of Peru and Multi-skilling focus 6:00 location TBA

Come hear about adventures and watch slides on the diverse lands and people of Peru. This is a fun(d)raiser for the next trip there at the end of February, 2009. Bring forth something homemade or wild-crafted for a potluck starting at 6:00. What skills are essential to our being a strong community? Reflect on that and participate in a discussion around re-skilling for local resilience.

Bay Area

Dec 20 3rd Annual Concert Carnival 9pm
The Independent
628 Divisadero St, San Francisco, CA
Doors @ 8:30pm

Tickets to the Concert Carnival are available at the Independent box office. $20 Reserve Table seats: $35 (bought in pairs; 4 to a table)...dress is "Soiree Casual" For more information check out: www.hotbutteredrum.net/nkc

Dec 21 Solstice Plant Walk around San Geronimo meeting at 11:00 am. For location details and to let us know you are coming contact Soupster Gwen at gwengordon@comcast.net. Bring lunch and something to share.

Frank seeks right-livelihood through donation.
Please Give What You Can; Receive What You Need.

Winter Travel Plans

December 27th- January 11th Costa Rica Journey

This will be my fourth year immersing myself into the Costa Rican wonderland. Come travel with us around CR learning about its natural treasures as well as the experiments going on in sustainable living. Visit the website: www.artofunion.com to learn more about the organization organizing this journey and consider being a part of this transformative world. Hope to see you there.

Feb25th - Mar 14th Peru Adventure

Are you ready for an adventure? This will be my fifth time venturing south to Peru in the last 9 years. We will experience both the Amazon Jungle and the Andean Highlands during our time: meeting the flora and peoples; exploring Shamanic realms; and more deeply embodying permaculture and holistic living into our lives. Email mail me and let me know if you would like more information on this journey as it comes together in the next month.

FCC