How I use herbs - Gotu Kola

Here's another herb that is growing in my garden, quite wild now, but I don't know really how to use it. Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica). Its also known as Spadeleaf and Indian Pennywort. Here's how I grow it and here's what my herb books say I should do with it!

eight acres: how to grow and use gotu kola

How to grow Gotu Kola
This herb seems to like damp soil and shade. It sends out shoots,so it spreads easily, but is not deep rooted and invasive. This makes it easy to propagate by transplanting some shoots. I haven't seen it flower yet, apparently they are small so maybe I missed them. Its been in my garden for a few years, since I took a clump from Pete's parent's garden. It does die back in winter when we get a frost, but then reappears in spring. I keep it in a pot with the mint and other herbs, as that's the easiest way for me to keep the soil damp enough.

How to use Goto Kola
You know this is a special herb when you see that Isabel Shippard devoted nearly six pages to it in her book "How can I use herbs in daily life?". Gotu Kola is known as a longevity herb, but more specifically it is used for:

Skin healing as it stimulates collagen production (good for wounds and ulcers)
Strengthening veins - used for varicose veins and poor circulation
Nerve tonic - calming, reduces anxiety, improves memory
Anti-inflammatory - used for rheumatism (as an infusion/tea)

With two cautions:

Can cause sensitivity to sun exposure
May reduce fertility

Farm update - August 2017

Its been cold this month, and very nice to have the fire going every night. Here's a photo of my boy in his cape, great for late night woofing at things. Most of July we were either preparing for the butcher to come or putting meat away. Its always a big job, but its only once a year, and its all done now. My lovely neighbour came over to help, so it was fun to have the company and work together. Taz was a champion once again as she helped us to move cattle in the yards ready to load for the market. Gus is not at that level yet and had to stay home (he cries when he gets left behind, but he just gets in the way and scatters the cattle). We have had a few sprinkles of rain here and there, but also plenty of cold nights, so the grass is mostly dead and dry, waiting for the warmer weather to revive our summer-active pasture. Gus in his cape Taz after she helped to move cattle Food and cooking It was all about beef in July and we are v...

Cooking and eating beans

When I was growing up, my family never ate many dried beans, they just weren't something that was used much in NZ cuisine. If I did eat beans, it was always from a can (and most likely baked beans). And until recently I was still using beans from a can, but it can be difficult to get organic beans, and to find cans not lined with BPA. Then I had an opportunity to buy some organic dry goods in bulk, so I bought 5kg of kidney beans, 5kg of adzuki beans and 5kg of chickpea (garbanzo beans). I know, that is a lot of beans. And then I didn't really know what to do with them! Not just what dishes to put them in, but how to prepare them, I just didn't know what method to use. So I decided it was time to learn how to use all these beans that I bought, here's what I found out. I started with an excellent ebook called The Everything Beans Book , from Katie at Kitchen Stewardship, which has lots of bean recipes, but more importantly, an explanation of h...

Guest post: Is there a place for power tools in the garden?

One of my regular readers and commenters offered to write a guest post about a horticulture course, its quite a funny read, with some serious insights into our technology obsession. If you'd like to submit a guest post, email me at eight.acres.liz {at} gmail.com. While I am always happy to share links back to your blog or website, this contributor preferred to remain anonymous. I hope you enjoy their story.... -**- -**- -**- -**- -**- -**- -**- -**- -**- -**- -**- -**- -**- -**- Just a few days ago our daily horticulture classes were interrupted by an invitation to review some new gardening gadgets. The idea was to open half a dozen of electric hand trimmers , test them and fill in some review about their goods and bads. As nothing is more dear to a student – even a “hort “ one - to escape routine and mess around till lunchtime, we opened the boxes and got down to business. What did we...

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