04/14/2026
🌱Meet Carissa🌱
I love getting calls asking if she can come and forage something she has seen in our yard. Here she is foraging dandelions❤️🤣
Carissa Raney grew up in Virginia at the feet of two passionate plant enthusiasts who ran a wholesale nursery—so you could say she’s been “deep in the plants” since she could walk.
Today, Carissa runs the Locust Loves Pollinators initiative and helps moderate the Locust/Midland Garden & Plant Swap group, where she encourages others to create thriving, pollinator-friendly spaces.
She has spent years studying and teaching herbal medicine, organic and DIY gardening, foraging, and sustainable growing practices. While many would call her a plant expert, Carissa prefers to say, “Nobody can be an expert in plants—there’s simply too much to know.”
You’ll most often find her wandering outdoors sampling edible “weeds,” crafting herbal remedies, sharing knowledge with anyone who will listen (or even those who didn’t plan to), and on occasion—possibly judging your plant choices 😅
At our Gardeners in Bloom event Carissa will be teaching at 10:00 on permaculture and hugelkultur helping others build resilient, regenerative garden systems.
Join us! It’s going to be great!
