Meet Koshi River Lemongrass

Botanical name: Cymbopogon flexuosus, exsertus

Origin: Kanchanjangha Tea Estate, Phidim, Panchthar District, Koshi Province, Nepal 

Harvest date: March to November

Processing: Hand harvested, air and oven dried

Farm type: Small and large farms

Cleaner, Greener Lemongrass. Our Garden Lemongrass grows along the hilly terrain of eastern Nepal, grown by a cooperative of rural farmers. Its slender stalks benefit from the steady rainfall and high altitude of the Himalayas. Lemongrass is harvested over a long growing season. It’s hand picked, slowly dried, and packed in airtight containers to preserve the gingery sweetness of its fragrant essential oil. 

Empowering women, better wages, & community support. We source directly from a farming cooperative along the Koshi River. Working with a cooperative instead of a big corporation increases the wages of farmers, 75% of whom are women, and profits are invested back into their rural community to improve housing, education and food security. By working with a farming cooperative, we’re able to prioritize quality and ensure a lush, tangy, and tropical flavor profile.

Organic + Ayurvedic practices. Our lemongrass is farmed with Ayurvedic agriculture methods that prioritize holistic stewardship of the land. Farmers enrich the soil with compost and use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to prevent crop disease and deter pests without resorting to harmful chemical inputs.

Preventing soil erosion. The fibrous root system of lemongrass helps to prevent soil erosion by stitching together the soil to keep the hillsides intact and to sequester carbon. A hardy perennial plant, lemongrass doesn’t need to be replanted, which can disturb underground microorganisms, and can be harvested throughout the year. The aromatic stalks are intercropped with other native plants to increase overall biodiversity of the land. 

Folk medicine uses. Lemongrass is valued in herbal medicine for its beneficial properties that include antioxidants improving coronary arteries and antimicrobial properties that inhibit tooth decay. It contains significant levels of iron, zinc and magnesium, and is an effective anti-inflammatory, antifungal, and diuretic. The plant is used to aid digestion and can protect the stomach lining.