Comments on: In Memory of Frank Cook 1963-2009

By: Robin on Frank Cook

Robin on Frank Cook — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 08:53:45 +0000

Ann, Frank was a vegetarian who was travelling through South/Central America. The person preparing the food for him and the group he was with had previously (folk think) handled raw pork. So the parasite had nothing to do with foraging and eating wild edible plants, and far more to do with kitchen hygiene issues.

By: Ann Smith

Ann Smith — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 22:43:50 +0000

I’ve just stumbled upon this whole community, as a walker who ‘nibbles’ I’ve been trying to find info/educate myself as to what I can actually gather and eat; very sorry to have lost a guiding light before I found him. However, I would like to know, for obvious reasons, more about the parasite that took him away from us. I know it may be bad press for foragers, but education is strength, and the knowledge of any risks is exactly what I want, to be able to forage confidently.

By: William Seifried

William Seifried — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 22:41:08 +0000

I met Frank around 2008 at a workshop he did at Genesis Farms in NJ.
He conducted what was supposed to be a 4 hour tour of the 200 + acre Farm to give us ideas of what natural plants we could eat. He was an incredible loving person who gave us such incredible information, his tour never got the group more than 400 yards from the farmhouse. I was so interested in Frank that I saw him 2 more times that week. One was a presentation by Frank at a local coffee shop. He was doing a computer projector discussion on the overall world economic model. In that presentation, he just did not have the spark he had when I saw him outside in his environment. I am a people person and watcher, he was the real deal, a modern day John Muir. I was greatly saddened by his early death.

By: Elaine Sommers

Elaine Sommers — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 08:36:57 +0000

Simply, I wish I had known him in the flesh, but I’m sure he is now with all who love our plant brothers and sisters.
XXX

By: lesley meader

lesley meader — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 17:27:55 +0000

Wow!,A lonely wild plant lover am I.
Recently found eatweeds,had not heard of Frank til today,
So sorry for your loss,
Will eat my wild plums today in memory of a fine man!
xxx

By: Jaykub

Jaykub — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 22:31:18 +0000

Oh wow.
My heart has dropped.
I only knew of Frank through the internet, though I was in the process of researching how to attend one of his teachings, perhaps to do some rewilding in NC. Then I realized that he’d passed.

So sad.

By: Alexis

Alexis — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 07:29:48 +0000

Mmmm, So many seeds Frank has planted in us all… Beautiful Abundant Alive.. .. in the love.

Frank was always, always leaving me as well as each of my children.. and his friends, ‘little notes’, So here is a final one in return~~

Frank was very much a man who understood in himself the value of two worlds. That of the Valley. with the family, community,.. sharing experiences and wisdom. And, what he called living on the mountian, in the Cave. He felt that when he was connecting with the later, he had more connection with truely himself. And this was the part he wanted us to bring to one another when we came together.
He asked me not to forget that part of myself.

Paige told me this morning, 4 years old, as i was showing her some pictures this; “Frank is big. He is bigger than me. He is even bigger than my mom and dad.” Frank lived into a vision that was greater than himself with complete integrity and devotion. Every single moment of his life was dedicated to expanding ourselves for the betterment of the whole.

Frank and i were partners thru 2001-2005….then opening the love. towards the circle more greatly.. …Partnering with the world.
Every reflection, anyone has shared Is completely true. I realized and shared with him in our last meeting, in June, the love he was bringing to me and us All can only be offered in compete surrender.
Bowed and open to receive the abundance of love and every thing imaginable at each moment. Frank understood this and held an honest and patient place for us to see this also.

It is amazing and awe inspiring to really live into such a being. It has taken me years to accept was Frank was fully offering in my heart and in my life. I know that I finally did see that and in our final meeting, I gave it all back to him what had sprung from the seed he planted and replanted so many times.

Frank quoted Goethe in the introduction of his last book; Emerging Plant Medicines, “There is no past that we can we can bring back by longing for it. There is only an eternally new now that builds and creates itself out of the best as the past withdraws.”

Regardless.. I have always needed my own journey to realize presence… so I am writing also to share a poem i wrote a few days ago.

A Little Note to Frank

my heart has taken wing, my spirit has touched its’ light.
All my breath and life is humbly yours tonite.
Do not dispair my love, for the tangles in my hair,
are the whispers of lifes longing to be sent on the winds next kite.

Silently now, you walk with me,
my grace is in that devotion,
if we could share just one more glance,
it would apease this hearts’ emotion.

Where is the battle ground for longing?
It seems we talked and walked and prayed.
.. when the day was over we asked this life for lessons along the way.

That day you came and picked me up, brushing off my soiled skin.
I thought we would walk along loves road forever, endlessly and again.

Wrestling with myself alone now,
and wishing upon the stars
will not bring back whats unfinished nor get us very far.
But you told me to just wait for you.
That time would bring us forgiveness.
And i trusted that as i walked away,
knowing we were just begining.

Would i have clung a thousand times
during this journey playing out our song?
Tugging desires’ waistcoat with this will,
that wonders where does it belong?

The miles and miles of stories are written in the sky,
before we met they were their waiting for us,
the playful lovers dance of “i and i.”
they seemed endless but now i cry.

i know that lifes perfection plays also such harmony,
but when love leaves before i can finish it seems
the struggle was just for me.

Can you find me again my dear, and can we play once more?
like an eternal morning of frozen feet harvesting seaweed along the shore.

I’ll dry my frons and my tears as well,
bring all your reflections to my light.
and thank the time we shared and know our i and i
is in perfection and all is right.

blessings and all my love,
my dear sweet Frankie Frankie.

By: Bee

Bee — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 22:37:33 +0000

I was blessed when I was able to take a “lesson” from Frank a few years ago. I’ll never forget that day, and it truly changed my reality…the words I remember most from Frank came when a fellow “student” leaned down, pointing at a small plant and asked, ” How do you use this one?” Frank replied, ” you don’t use your friends…” what wisdom….

By: ken tyler

ken tyler — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 20:39:45 +0000

This is the first time i have read of this man he has seemed to be a inspriation to many a sad loss to a valued and respected young man , GOD BLESS.

By: Holly Danyliw

Holly Danyliw — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 18:13:40 +0000

Tim Toben wrote a beautiful and profound memorial for Frank Cook.

I don’t know and didn’t know Frank, but I found his memorial
on facebook from a local herbalist named Rosemari Roast and
decided to see who Frank Cook was.

From the videos and writings, I see that he was a person who followed his heart, which brought him to his passion, plant life.

Sometimes in life we forget it is the little things which we are drawn to and excite us that create a life’s meaning.

Frank Cook knew his life’s meaning.

Thanks for the memorial.

Holly Lynn Danyliw