Putaruru, Tokoroa & Districts Herb Society

27/02/2025

Open Day on 27 February 2025.

22/12/2024

27/09/2024

All welcome to the October Meeting

10/03/2024

Dear members
I will be stepping down from being the chair at the end of April. We need members to fill the positions of :
(1) Chair
(2) Secretary
(3) Treasurer
(4) 2 Committee members

Please send your nominations to me by Friday 29 March 2024.

03/12/2023

Members enjoying Xmas lunch at the Wooden Farmer, Putaruru.

16/08/2023

~ Sheep Sorrel ~ (Rumex Acetosella / vulgaris)
Aka Field Sorrel, Sour-weed, Sour Dock, Sour Grass, Red Top, Sheep Dock.

This commonly invasive plant is usually voted the most delicious edible ‘weed’ during my Foraging Workshops, with even kids enjoying it’s tart flavor.
You only need to eat one tiny leaf of Sheep Sorrel to set your tastebuds off, with it’s tart, astringent, lemony taste, similar to that of a sour-apple flavor. Try nibbling a leaf next time you find it for a thirst quenching kick.

Use small amounts of the succulent, above ground parts raw in salads, in pestos, dips, & salad dressings for it's sharp flavor. Excellent with fish.
Use to thicken soups and stews (it looses some tartness when cooked).
Seeds can be eaten raw or cooked. Dry & powder whole to add to flours for baking.

The closely related, and much larger leaved Common / Garden Sorrel is used worldwide in many dishes, and Sheep Sorrel can be used in a similar way.
Here’s a few ideas from around the world:
• In Romania: to make sour soups, in open sandwiches, stewed with spinach, and added fresh to lettuce and spinach in salads.
• In Russia and Ukraine: to make a soup called green borscht.
• In Croatia and Bulgaria: in soups or with mashed potatoes.
• In rural Greece: with spinach, leeks and chard in spanakopita.
• In Vietnam: added to lettuce and in salads for Bánh Xēo.
• In Brazil and Portugal: raw in salads or used to make soups.
• In India: in soups and curries.
• In Albania: leaves are simmered and served cold marinated in olive oil.

Sheep Sorrel is high in Vitamin C with some iron, calcium, sodium, potassium & magnesium. Do note that the Rumex family including Sorrel is high in oxalates, eat in moderation.

Sorrels have been eaten by humans for over 4,000 years, and is one of the most common wild plants growing in grasslands in Europe & Asia.

Ancient Egyptians, Romans, Greeks, and others have been adding this to dishes for it's amazing flavor & also medicinal properties for centuries, including to reduce discomfort from over indulgence in rich foods.

You'll learn more about Sheep Sorrel, including accurate identification & medicinal uses in my new Wild Edible Weeds Foraging Guide. Purchase all 3 of my guides together at a discounted price:
https://www.homegrownbotanica.co.nz/collections/foraging-guides

01/06/2023

HOMEMADE GUMMIES 😋
Ingredients:
1 kg of refined sugar
2 cups of water
4 tablespoons unflavored gelatin
1 box of gelatin flavor of your choice
Sugar for dusting
Jujube, tasty and colorful, pleases children and adults who love sweets!
Step by step to do:
1. In a saucepan, mix the water in a bain-marie with the unflavored and flavored gelatins.
2. As soon as the jellies melt, add the sugar and stir well until all the sugar is dissolved.
3. When it boils, keep stirring for about 5 minutes and turn off the heat (the mixture should be liquid and homogeneous).
4. In a mold greased with margarine, pour the mixture and let it rest for about 24 hours so that it takes on a firm consistency (you can cover the mold with a kitchen towel, if you want).
5. The next day, take the dough out of the mold, cut it into small pieces and give it the shape you want.
6. To finish, pass the jujube through the sugar and wait for it to dry. Now just enjoy!
7. If you prefer the gummies to be more consistent, just wait another 2 days (after this last step) to test the gummy bear.

13/05/2023

Grab this printable list of 29 edible flowers you can grow in your yard!

-->> https://www.attainable-sustainable.net/edible-flowers/

Read more about adding edible flowers to your garden here:

https://www.attainable-sustainable.net/edible-flowers/