Comfrey is abundant...
I was walking through the community gardens in People's Park, where folks have dug the earth and planted their own crops, and against all odds, it survives many years later...
When I first got to Berkeley, I was seeking gardens, herbs and community and found all three things up for grabs at People's Park. Anyone can come and tend the gardens there so I helped for a little while with a small herb plot that beheld such beauties as Mugwort, Comfrey, Vitex, Valerian, Borage, Pineapple Sage, St John's Wort and even a small Pomegranate Tree... In short, a little slice of heaven.
I don't tend that plot there anymore but I do go and harvest some of the herbs in small amounts when I need them, and in particular abundance there, is Comfrey.
The Harvest
It is never just a quiet moment there, harvesting herbs and then leaving... it feels as though you always meet someone on that little corridor between the plants and today was no exception.
Everyone is interested in what you're up to, what the plants are used for, and often the lessons go both ways and you get information you never knew about the plant, how best to harvest it, which is what I learned today.
I like that a lot, it makes for friendly medicine! It has the under-stirrings of a mini plant information highway which gets its mileage out of people talking and exchanging information that widens consciousness of the small medicinal miracle that is embedded in that plot of land.
Making the Oil
Thanks to a joint effort with a new found friend, a small bundle of freshly harvested Comfrey was taken home to wilt in the sun for a few hours, chopped up and placed in a widemouth jar, and filled to the top with Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
It has been stirred to release air bubbles and placed in my cupboard for a good 6-8 weeks until well and juicy and ready for use!
Uses for Comfrey Oil
This is a really easy way to home-make an oil as a base for salves or use on its own for treating:
- Cuts
- Wounds
- Scrapes
- Insect bites
- Bruises
- All manner of general wound healing
Comfrey contains a cell proliferant, which means it encourages a speedy renewal of cells where there has been a wound.
Important: For this reason it is important to clean the wound area thoroughly before applying Comfrey, to avoid the dirt being trapped under a new layer of skin cells. It should not be used on deep cuts or open wounds.