The Cook Family Creative History . . . to boldly go leaping into the unknown

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Fertile Maine Farm Land Rolling Out In The Morning Light

When touring and performing our theater work, I often hold workshops that empower our creative voices and expressive selves to work towards a sustainable and peaceful future for humanity. I emphasize that each one of us can and does make a difference. Our choices in this life matter to all others who spin around the sun with us!

My close-to-home example is my family. My father, Jim Cook, was a top-notch car salesman with five young children to support, when he realized that he was losing his soul to the work-a-day world. In a sheer leap of faith, he and my mom decided he should quit his job, pack up the family, and move up to the remote northern tip of Maine to try our hands at organic farming.

The adage is ‘look before you leap’, but thank god we didn’t! We dove into the frying pan of a counter-culture food revolution and danced on coals trying to stay alive! We worked hard as young’uns, pulling weeds, picking potatoes, packing boxes of beautiful spuds to send to southern markets. My parents formed a cooperative of organic farms to support each other as they built a market for their crops.

From this, Crown of Maine Organic Cooperative was born. Now in its sixteenth year, run by my sisters, Marada and Leah, COMOC distributes Maine-made product and produce across the state, focusing on organic and natural goods. They are a hard-working organization, passionate in supporting farmers, and increasing the quality of the Maine Food System. They strive to build friendships and ever-deepening connections across the Maine community, providing right livelihood for farmers, distributors, producers, grocers, and more!

When I teach writing and art, I use this as my example of how one person’s soulful choice can ignite a wild-fire of change. From my father’s realization came my mother’s choices, and my siblings choices, the choices of thousands of people across the state who day after day, stood in the supermarket, and chose a healthful, life-sustaining, environmentally-sound, local economy enhancing vegetable.

If our food can create such change in our culture . . . why not our art? When we plant the seeds of sustainability and social change that is what we reap and harvest. In my writing and performing workshops I teach the participants to have courage in their artistic expressions, for their leap of faith might start them on a journey that will, indeed, change the world.

Rivera Sun Cook

For more info on Crown of Maine Organic Cooperative, visit

www.crownofmainecoop.com

Rising Sun Dance & Theater Workshops in Maine:

WORKSHOPS!

(for all experience levels)

“The Story in Your Heart”

a page to stage storytelling workshop for everyone!

Tues, May 8th, 7-9pm

First Universalist Church, Auburn

“The Story in Your Heart”

a page to stage storytelling workshop for everyone!

(second time offered!)

Sat, May 12th, 2-5pm

Unitarian Universalist Church, Ellsworth

“Change Your Story to Change the World”

tranformational storytelling in a time of great change!

Sun, May 20th, 2-5pm

First Universalist Church, Auburn

“Change Your Story to Change the World”

(offered twice, due to great popularity!)

Sat, June 2nd, 1-4pm

Lucid Stage, Portland