RACHEL BLANKENSHIP-TUCKER, 33 / Wild Mushroom Forager, The ForageHer
Rachel Blankenship-Tucker is a fierce steward of the environment. She started The ForageHer in 2019, providing several varieties of edible wild mushrooms to local consumers. Since its inception, she has built a network of customers and other mushroom hunters, and offers information on safety, identification and preparation of all things wild and edible. Blankenship-Tucker enjoys teaching people how to go out and feed themselves, as you can never take that knowledge from someone once learned, and it can be passed down through the generations. She is also active in the anti-pipeline resistant in our region. She first got involved when she and her wife went to play music for Red and Minor Terry while they occupied their tree sits on Bent Mountain. For her, that moment was pivotal, as she saw what it meant to take direct action against injustice. “It stirred something inside of me,” she says. “Instead of just complaining, it was clear to me that I had to get involved in other ways – marching, protesting … making sacrifices.”
- Working musician in her band, After Jack
From the Nomination: “An avid hiker and fierce steward of the environment, Rachel has turned her love for the outdoors and keen eye into an incredible source of community knowledge. In 2019, she took the leap into entrepreneurship, starting The ForageHer. In addition to building a network of customers and other mushroom hunters who work together to expand their skills and knowledge, she also freely offers information … via her frequent social media posts. She uses her platform to connect the community, provide education, support other local bloggers and mushroom hunters, and build awareness about wild edibles, their safe consumption and responsible harvesting. … In the face of climate chaos, rising stars building big business or chasing growth might be out of date. A woman’s effort to build community, freely offer knowledge to all and care for the health and well-being of her local community is a radical and wonderful thing.”
What do you love about Roanoke?
Blankenship-Tucker: “My home is in Franklin County, so I think of the greater Roanoke Valley as my stomping grounds. I appreciate how neighbors take care of and support one another. Generally, I believe people are interested in taking care of the land and taking care of our environment. … I rely on local farmers for hay, straw and feed for my own animals. We share things with our neighbors. I love to share my foraged goods. I think it’s thrilling to watch someone discover how delicious wild foods can be. There are so many different kinds of woods here. There are so many different ecosystems. I can go to a friend’s or neighbor’s house and walk out into their woods and they’re completely different from mine: different trees, different smells, different brush, different mushrooms. It’s so biodiverse. I think people would be surprised to find out how unique and different little ecosystems are.”
How does your passion impact our community?
Blankenship-Tucker: “I am able to give to others the knowledge that has been given to me. … We pay a lot of money for processed foods and unhealthy things, when you can just go out in the woods and find something that’s actually good for your body, and is way more delicious. The ForageHer is creating a place where people recognize the value of the land and the value of wild food. This area of Virginia is so bountiful. That’s our real wealth. We are building a local community by sharing food and tips, and a larger community of people via social media that are rich in the knowledge of what our environment has to offer.”
