Blog – Page 4 – Plants & Healers International

Pickard’s Mountain

The weekend of August 14 found Marc and I at Pickard’s Mountain Eco-Institute, a teaching and retreat center in the Chapel Hill area. In addition to the teaching facilities and food production at Pickard’s Mountain, herbs are grown on the property for the Honeysuckle Tea House located at the entrance.

The morning after arriving, I headed over to the Sarah P. Duke Gardens at Duke University. It’s amazing how much easier it is to identify plants when there is a sign telling you what it is. I walked around the Garden of Native Plants noting various plants that could be grown for spices, nuts, food, and teas up through the northeastern United States as the signs gave the plants’ current range. The potential for diversifying farms and landscapes with edible and useful plants is seemingly limitless. I spent the end of my visit noting all of the fern species I could, as it is not often that such a collection is labeled in one place. This seemed fitting as The Garden of Native Plants was made in honor of Professor Hugo L. Blomquist, who literally wrote the book on ferns of the southeast. It was also special to spend time in the gardens where Frank Cook worked at the beginning of his plant journey.

Botanizing in Baltimore, Montreal, and Poughkeepsie

My first time seeing the red flower in the middle of Daucus carota, where Queen Anne pricked her finger making her lace. — My first time seeing the red flower in the middle of *Daucus carota*, where Queen Anne pricked her finger making her lace.

One of the benefits of studying ethnobotany and foraging is that wherever I go, I can hang out with my plant friends. Fortunately for me, I have some human friends too. Immediately following the Green Scene, I made my way north on the way to Montreal for a best friend’s bachelor party (where we read good books, played bridge, and nothing of note happened).

Fortunately, I had bought some of Doug Elliott’s CDs to keep me company on the road trip. I had bought “Groundhog-ology” for my mom, as she and my dad are no strangers to groundhogs. One summer when I was a kid, I made it my duty to catch the groundhogs on our 2 acres in Connecticut. Summer ended after 12 trips with the Have-A-Heart trap to a cemetery a few miles up the road, including one loaded with a pair of younger groundhogs, bringing the catch-and-release count to 13. It is said that the cemetery groundskeeper curses the Stebbins name to this day…Needless to say, we were in need of some education on the history and lore around the Groundhog, and Doug’s CD didn’t disappoint. I had also bought “Sail on Honeybee” for my friend Audrey Swanenberg, who’s place I stopped at outside of Baltimore on the way back to Connecticut and who has dabbled in beekeeping the past few years. This CD was equal parts educating and entertaining, and the perfect way to sail on north.

The Green Scene, Turtle Island, and the App State Farm

The turn of the month at the end of July was quite a busy one for Marc and I, bringing with it a visit to Turtle Island, Appalachian State University farm, and the Green Scene.

Turtle Island is the result of Eustace Conway’s vision of an ecological and historical preserve. Since purchasing the original 30 acres, Eustace has expanded Turtle Island to encompass over 1,800 acres. Turtle Island has recently been featured on the History Channel’s show “Mountain Men,” but Marc and I were more interested in the biodiversity found in the mountains and valleys of the preserve. Though Eustace knows the land like the back of his hand (perhaps better), it always helps to have extra eyes to observe with. Marc and I found a wide range of plants indicative of a diversity of ecotypes and began a plant list. It was pleasing to know such a place was in the good hands of Eustace and company, and this was the first of many visits to come!

Plant Walk and Potluck at Holly Drake’s

Marc espousing as more participants join the group.

No rest for the weary, or freelance teachers! After the Wild Herb Weekend, it was off to Holly Drake’s house for a plant walk followed by a potluck.

After assembling the handouts and plant lists, we headed to Holly’s friend’s farm for a plant walk. After a slow start, we were pleasantly surprised when over 20 people arrived for the walk, not including kids. From Crataegus sp. (hawthorn) to Prunella sp. (self-heal), Oenothera sp. (evening primrose) to Osmorhiza sp. (sweet cicely), many plants were covered throughout the walk. A few herbalists and experienced foragers were in tow, so the plant walk went into more depth than most.

Wild Herb Weekend and Valle Crucis

Every year, the North Carolina Herb Association holds the Wild Herb Weekend in Valle Crucis, NC. This year, Marc taught about woody ethnobotany and identifying plants by family. Often, herbs are sold after they have been harvested and dried, so though herbalists have extensive knowledge on the uses of these plants, many cannot necessarily identify these plants. Marc’s classes helped all who attended to cultivate a more complete understanding of plants. Many herbalists want to collect their own plants for medicines (this can often make the medicine more effective and, depending on the plant, affordable), so Marc’s class served as an important addition to the herbalist education available throughout the weekend.

1963-2009: Remembering Frank Cook, Herbalist

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