Comfrey oil and balm recipes
When volunteer extraordinaire and herb enthusiast Kathleen Rumme offered to teach Farmer Jena to make comfrey oil and balm, it was an easy “Yes, please!”
With a bundle of dried EarthDance comfrey, an afternoon together in the Confluence Zen co-founder’s warm, bright kitchen resulted in several jars of comfrey oil and enough tins of lavender-scented balm for each of the EarthDance summer apprentices and then some, along with new skills and inspiration for Jena.
Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) grows prolifically in the orchard berms at the farm. It is a leafy shrub that grows in parts of Asia, Europe, and North America. The root and leaves of the comfrey plant have been used in traditional medicine for more than 2,000 years. Comfrey contains allantoin, rosmarinic acid, and tannins and has also been called boneset, knitbone, black wort, wall wort, and slippery root. Comfrey has been used to treat muscle sprains, bruises, burns, joint inflammation, and superficial skin wounds. In a topical preparation, as with salves, ointments, and creams, comfrey extract may help boost new skin cell growth and help relieve pain and inflammation. It is important to note that the sale of oral comfrey products has been banned by the USDA Food and Drug administration – it contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids that can cause liver damage when ingested. We recommend talking with your trusted healing professional before using comfrey.
Whipped Comfrey Butter Recipe
Adapted by Kathleen Rumme from Whipped Butter Recipe by TheCitrineGoddess
Makes about 8-12 ounces of whipped butter
Ingredients
- Unrefined shea butter | 2 cups
- Comfrey olive oil (see recipe below) | ½ cup
- Vitamin E oil | ½ teaspoon
- Tea Tree Oil | 5 drops
- Any floral note essential oil | 30-40 drops
Kitchen tools
- Electric hand mixer
- Crockpot
- Metal mixing bowl
- Gallon size plastic zipper bag for piping into tins
- Amber colored jar
The steps
- Use a crockpot to melt shea butter
- Remove from heat, pour into a mixing bowl, and stir in comfrey olive oil
- Add Vitamin E oil
- Allow time for the mixture to become cool and solidify to a soft consistency
- Once soft solid, add tea tree oil and your choice of floral essential oil
- Whip for about 2-3 minutes (longer is okay if needed)
- Fill the zipper/piping bag with the mixture, cut a corner tip, and pipe into your voice of container.
Tips from TheCitrineGoddess
- Speak healing into your creation.
- Intention over quantity (understand why you’re using the ingredients and how it relates to your desired outcome).
Comfrey herbal oil
Ingredients
Dried comfrey leaves | About 1 ½ – 2 cups, or enough to fill quart jar about ¾ full
Carrier oil (olive or coconut oil are common choices) | Enough to fill the mason jar
Kitchen tools
Quart glass jar
The steps
- Gently remove dried comfrey leaves from their stems; crumble into mason jar.
- Pour carrier oil over dried comfrey leaves to the top of the jar. Cover with tight lid.
- Shake gently every day, strain after 3 weeks; it is good for 3 months.
