Steven Foster, Tina Marie Wilcox, and Dr. James Duke.
This Ozark Folk Center 50th Anniversary Legacy Photo is in honor of Tina Marie Wilcox.
From, Jo Anne and John Wilson.
My first trips to the Ozark Folk Center in Mountain View from my home in Sims, (Montgomery County), Arkansas were to renew my soul, nourish my spirit, and expand my herbal knowledge; a bi-annual Sabbatical to celebrate and immerse myself in herbal programming at the spring and fall herb festivals. During those trips I had the pleasure of meeting and learning from these three amazing herbal educators, Dr. James Duke, Tina Marie Wilcox and Stephen Foster. Sadly we have lost Stephen and Dr. Duke but Tina continues to light the way.
Tina Marie Wilcox is the head gardener and herbalist at the Ozark Folk Center. She organizes, entertains, and educates by putting together themed programs that explore herbs, both native and introduced. Tina also shares her organic gardening knowledge through a series of classes offered at the park. I still use techniques, recipes, and information that I learned from her at an organic gardening workshop many, many years ago. Her knowledge was influenced greatly by both of the gentlemen pictured with her. When Tina was hired on as the head gardener/herbalist The Committee of One Hundred sponsored her internship to study with herbalist, author, and photographer Stephen Foster and with the local wild plant/food expert, Billie Jo Tatum.
Stephen gained his basic herbal knowledge while living with a Shaker community in Maine. He, Tina, and Jim Long helped to design and develop the herb gardens that are located throughout the grounds of the Ozark Folk Center. I was told that the gingko tree across from the apothecary shop traces its roots back to Stephen. Stephen and another renowned herbalist and botanist, Dr. Jim Duke, were at the Folk Center in spring of 1993 together to lead seminars at the Heritage Herb Spring Extravaganza festival. The theme for that program was “Healthy Choices”.
Dr. Jim Duke was an internationally well known herbalist, author, ethnobotanist, economical botanist, and a singer-songwriter. He is best known to herbal enthusiasts for his herbal, The Green Pharmacy, for his backyard green farmacy garden in North Carolina, and for his early work at the USDA Medicinal Plant Resources Laboratory. He was a past Honorary President 2006-2008 for The Herb Society of America and a past board member for the American Botanical Council (ABC). Dr. Duke had a humble but eloquent teaching style which translated scientific jargon into terms easily understandable by all.
It is a privilege and a blessing to learn more about herbs and local native plants through the programs presented at the park during herbal festivals, seminars, and classes.
Entry by Rae McKimm, member of the Committee of One Hundred.
The following entry is by Tina Marie Wilcox, written to the Committee of One Hundred as part of the apprenticeship program report:
Steven Foster, Billy Joe Tatum, Jim Long, and Clarice Chitwood taught the herbal apprenticeship in 1986. I was given an intensive overview of the world of beneficial plants and their uses.
I was guided through Ozark ecosystems including Old Growth Forests, dry woodlands, pastures, roadsides, bluffs, creek bottoms, springs, ridges, hollers and gardens. I learned plant identification and classification by hiking to plant habitats, using field guides and collecting herbarium. Hands-on classes included medicinal preparations, cooking meals, making jellies, jams and vinegars, dying wool, and blending bath herbs. I studied herbals in the libraries of my teachers. I made lifelong friendships with my mentors. I was introduced to my life's work.
Photo courtesy, Arkansas State Archives, (PH_OCRC_2988)
The Committee of One Hundred Tribute Wall recognizes contributions to the preservation of Ozark folk culture.
If you would like to help preserve the folk culture of the Ozarks, consider a
The Committee is made up entirely of volunteers so, except for transaction fees, all of your donation funds music, craft, or the herb gardens and, as a 501c3 entity
your donation is tax deductible!
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