When you grow too much comfrey, it's also great to cut and put in the garden around your plants, or soak it in water for a couple weeks and water your plants with it, the plants love all those nutrients. My tomatoes and peppers always thrive when I water them with comfrey tea
I'm sure that video would help some people. I also add other nutrients to my comfrey tea as well, such as bone meal and fish oil, it's made a huge difference in my soil, which used to be predominately clay.
I enjoyed your video on comfrey. I turned 80 this week and i retired from the Y in Estes Park Colorado and my life long dream is to have a working herb garden to make my own med.,etc. My family has been real supporting. I would like to get some good comfrey Roots to plant this spring. I bought five acreas and love to garden and raise my own eggs and meats. Lol
I'm very hard of hearing and I have my phone on max. It's my only connection to the internet. I live in an area where there is no internet. Even hughes net (very expensive) goes in and out frequently. So this is my only connection to your you tube videos. I would greatly appreciated it if you would put the recipe in the comments, because for me you talk very fast. I missed some of the ingredients because of my hearing. You have a wonderful informative chanel and I have subscribed. Thank you for all your wonderful work. Bless you and your family ❤
I have a problem. I used an entire bottle of vodka to cover my comfrey...because thats what you normally hear. I hope i havent ruined my comfrey.? Please give direction. :) I love your channel! I love that your not afraid to give God credit. :)
Another Win Heidi, honestly these classes are invaluable. So useful and full of ideas for health and wellness. Thank you again for pointing out another herbal gift from God.❤
Thank you so much, Helena! I try my best not to babble....LOL But sometimes...? I'm doing better. My husband edits the videos, and when I get long-winded, he sure lets me know!🤣
I love comfrey! I make a comfrey salve for my mom who has chronic pain from a car accident years ago and my dad who has arthritis in his back from an accident he had when he worked in construction years ago. They use it all the time and it works for their pain better than pain meds! I broke my leg (fibula) 3 weeks ago yesterday. I started using my comfrey salve about 5 days after breaking my leg, it’s in a boot not a cast, so I was able to take the boot off to apply the salve. I am 53, so I thought it would take all of the 6 weeks to start moving around kind of normal. Well, Almost all pain, swelling and bruising is gone and I am walking like normal. I almost feel like I could take the boot off and walk without it…I won’t, but I feel like I could! I am also drinking a tea that has horsetail and other herbs…I haven’t tried comfrey internally yet. But I do believe Comfrey is a miracle plant and I will always have it on hand!
WOW! What a great testimonial for comfrey! I'm so glad you shared your story, and I'm also very sorry about your broken leg and hope it heals super quickly! It sounds like with the comfrey, it will--- On internal use....yes, please do be very cautious, but I did suggest to my stepmom when she broke her collar bone to drink one or two cups of comfrey tea a day for two weeks to speed the tissue cell regeneration. I'm not sure if she did this or not, but she healed quickly too! **In case the Powers that Be are not a fan of this conversation, I just want to mention that allantoin is the chemical in comfrey that is so powerful for tissue regeneration.
@@HeidiVillegas thank you so much! I might give it a try! Comfrey is probably no worse for my liver than the ibuprofen i took for the first week after breaking my leg.
This article was very informative , thanks, can l get the recipe please as l was unable to keep apace and what would be the procedure? Thanks for your response. Doris
I use only olive oil, local unprocessed beeswax and finely powdered, dehydrated, fresh comfrey leaf and everyone I've gifted it to report amazing pain relief. Don't be discouraged if your budget doesn't allow for the essential oils, the comfrey is the only healing, pain relieving ingredient needed.
This is 100% correct. The essential oils DO add additional anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and warming/cooling properties to the salve, though, which boosts its effectiveness significantly. :-)
Glad it was helpful! If you go to the community tab, I wonder if you can share a picture? Or if you send it to me, I'd love to post when you finish! That's awesome!🥰
What a GREAT teaching video. I made a salve that really helped my dad's arthritis and also used in on my knee that was seriously injured and very painful. It made the difference between walking with a stiff and painful knee and not walking at all. QUESTION: does the initial high grain alcohol infusion reduce the salves longevity? Hmm, or maybe it lengthens it.
I have lots of comfrey too. What would consider to be the best time of year to harvest. Before blooming, I assume from looking at your dried plants. I regularly cut mine down in late July(I'm in Western Canada) and use it as a mulch to feed my plants, then it bounces back before freeze up really well. I made some salve a couple weeks ago but didn't know about the alcohol soak so I'd like to make another batch that's stronger. My first batch was shared in with my daughter and she's using on bandaid reaction on her daughter's knees so I'm not upset that my first batch was weaker. It's really helping the healing process from the nasty inflammation on her knees. My plants are just about to finish flowering and we are in a heat wave so I'm not really sure I'd get the best salve from the plants right now.
This is worderful. I did subscribe. So can you cover the comfrey infused alcohol in a glass jar with a lid, and then after you strain it, can you use that leftover used comfrey debris in the garden, etc. Thank you anyone.
Hello Heidi - Im doing the DTD course and see that the Video for the Comfrey is not available yet. I have the E-Book, just want to know if you will have a follow up video - Would love to see it for sure!
YES! The masterclass inside the Tribe is where we'll be going deep into comfrey phytochemistry in a live chat, and I think it's this coming week on Thursday. I'll be digging into the chemistry around the PA's and specifically, the PA in comfrey because there are many different kinds.
Hey, there! So glad you're here! Be sure to click the link so I can send along your FREE Fall Diffuser Blends (essential oils): healingharvesthomestead.lpages.co/opt-in-fall-diffuser-blends-to-eo-reference-guide/ OR if you're not watching this in the Fall, you will love my 24 page guide, "How to Relax Using Herbs & Oils" : healingharvesthomestead.lpages.co/how-to-relax-using-herbs-opt-in/ ALSO---there is a GREAT question by @tparris9299 below (and thank you for addressing the "comfrey elephant in the room"), and you may want to read it and the answer.
Thank you for the video! I love watching and learning. Question for you - If I am not going to make the salve for a couple of weeks, how long do you recommend I let the comfrey infuse in the olive oil? And would I still need to use heat?
Hello Heidi I’m just learning thank you for these beautiful videos. You say you use equal amounts, I’m just trying to understand thank you. 240 drops total Peppermint 40 Lavender 30 Eucalyptus 30 Ginger 30 German Chamomile 30 That’s 160 Copaiba Black pepper Rosemary ctype camphor That’s 80 drops left which on gets 20 drops. I want to make it right sorry.
Hello Heidi or someone else... I know there are differences in the wild medicinal plants and the ones you grow in your garden,what are your opinion about that? Seldom any talks about that?😊 The wild ones chose their place to live and their medicinal potency are greater. Am I right or wrong? 🧙☘️
I have a question since castor oil has a lot of healing properties as well does anyone ever mix castor oil with the olive oil for salves? Or would that mess up the salve or not harden up right?
I'm SO happy for you! Yes, this is such a wonderful formula. Visit my website for more: www.healingharvesthomestead.com and be sure to get on my newsletter list because I teach things there that aren't found anywhere else!
It depends on your state, but most people can purchase from a liquor store or even certain grocery stores. If you can't get high proof in your state, you may be able to buy online. Organic Alcohol and Extractohol are two companies I like.
I am confused about this process of making salve. First, is it necessary to dry the Comfrey, or can I use fresh comfrey leaves with the alcohol? Second, once I let the tincture cure and I add in the olive oil how many days do I let that infuse? And thirdly, when I go to the double boiler process, am I aiming to let the alcohol evaporate from the mixture? Thanks.
1) Yes, dry or heavily wilt (several days as comfrey is very moist) the leaves, and chop 2) Alcohol rehydrates for only a day or so, so it's not a complete tincture 3) Olive oil infusion: Slow method (no heat) at least 4-6 weeks; Faster method (crock pot on low as in the film) I like several days....others will time this differently 4) The double boiler/crock pot process will remove a portion of the alcohol, but not all of it.
Hi. When making the infused oil, what do you do with the infused alcohol? Understood that once infused in alcohol you take it out and into the oil. Am I right ? Thank you for the recipie
I don't have any comfrey plants! Planning on planting them next year. I couldn't find any seeds for them. Hopefully I can order them earlier this year so I can get them
The best way to start your comfrey in the garden is from root starts. This is very easy to do, and the plants do well this way. Seed starting comfrey is a little tricky. I got mine from a friend who divided one of her plants for me and also ordered more from Richo Cech's company, Strictly Medicinals.
How do you get rid of the alcohol smell that you put on the comfrey at the start? I have tried the alcohol method to increase the extraction. But I can always smell the alcohol after the oil is added
That's the downside of using alcohol in oil infusions and to be honest, the main reason why I rarely do..... You really can't get rid of it, unfortunately, especially if you have a good sniffer,...
I didn't strain it off as I didn't use that much--a tablespoon or so. If there's a lot of liquid...you might drain, but then you're losing important constituents.
Can you describe again how you did the beginning with the alcohol please. You put comfry with alcohol in a crockpot for a couple days then mixed in OO and cooked that for a couple days?
No, I added a bit of alcohol to the dried, crumbled leaves. Then I let that sit, covered, for a day. Then I put the slightly rehydrated leaves into the jar with the oil. :-)
Hi, Karen! This is a great question for our Confident Herbalist Tribe community! You can find out more here: healingharvesthomestead.lpages.co/kaj-confident-herbalist-tribe-sp/
I love watching your videos. I am a visual learner so they help. This is my first time trying to make a salve. When you put in the crockpot did you put the lid on it? And would a bowl covered work as well, I don’t have a glass half gallon jar. Thank you!
Here are two off the top of my head: Aromatics International (extremely trustworthy): afflink: bit.ly/AromaInt and Rocky Mountain Oils: bit.ly/2s3NOGf And I have a coupon code for Rocky Mountain Oils I shared last week in my newsletter. I think it's HHH10 off the top of my head.
You can certainly give it a try, but the shea butter is soft, and you won't get a firm product. Have you considered subbing the beeswax with carnauba wax? It's a plant based wax, and you don't need quite as much of it as the beeswax. Any oil will be fine to sub for the olive oil.
If you still have the need, you might want to research Spilanthes. It's a flower they call the Toothache Plant. I don't know, you may be able to find it in a health food store or an herbal practitioner's store. Someone gave me a cutting, and I am trying to get it to root; I haven't tried it yet, but they say that when you chew a blossom, or hold it in your mouth, it works like Ora-Jel. If mine makes it, I plan to tincture the flowers next year.
just received the bakers creek seed catalog. In the back of the catalog there is a plant, they call the toothache plant. The flowers are a small yellow flower that has a numbing affect when you chew it. I'm going to order these seeds for my herbal garden.
Hello, Heidi! I had made a small amount of goldenrod infused oil. Can I use that infused oil in addition to more fresh olive oil to infuse the Comfrey? Would that add to the healing quality? Thanks again, you are such a good teacher
Hi, and thank you so much! What I suggest is to infuse the comfrey separately in the olive oil. Then when it's done, combine the two infused oils in the ratio you'd like. Good luck with this!
No, a lipid oil won't act the same in the salve as the beeswax. It may firm it a little in colder temps, as coconut oil is solid under a certain temperature, but beeswax, being a wax, is much better for the firmness.
I would love to get your book on comfrey and understand that I would need to take one of your courses first . But I have no time nor inclination to to become a "master herbalist". So , I would like to know the shortest course I would need to take in order to get this book . Thanks for your help .
Hi, Terry! I do not make the promise of becoming a "master herbalist" in any of my courses because to be honest....There's NO such thing. Any herbalist worth his or her salt knows this because we're never done learning. Also---herbalism is "illegal" in our country as a legitimate health practice. I suggest buying some books if you're not willing to invest in your overall herbal education. There are some really great ones out there, and you can find out my favorite ones here: ruclips.net/video/TPj2gfvEhSc/видео.html
Hi, Sherry! I get my essential oils from: (afflinks) Rocky Mountain: bit.ly/2s3NOGf Aromatics International: bit.ly/AromaInt Amrita Aromatherapy: bit.ly/AMRITAEOs Plant Therapy: bit.ly/34cqzYU Florihana, Pompeii Street Organics, and By Faith Aromatherapy. I'm very careful about where I purchase my essential oils.
is comfrey salve ok to use on my kids? I assume majority of herbs ok to use topically and on kids but curious....I dont plan to use essential oils with it!
Yes, it's fine topically for kids, especially the older and heavier they are. I wouldn't use it long term. Essential oils are also fine, depending on the dilution and the child. :-) Just be sure they're high quality, and I've vetted a list of companies you can trust here (and I'm not an affiliate for most of them). Scroll about halfway down the page for the list: healingharvesthomestead.com/valuable-resources
Is it possible for me to for me to get a copy of your comfrey infused book With all the information you gave as l was unable to get all . How would l be able to get a Copy of the Book on comfrey? This article was very informative. Thank you. Doris
Hi, Doris! Unfortunately, the only way to get the herbal masterclass books is to join our Confident Herbalist Tribe and dig into learning about the plants in our herbal village.
Hello Heidi. My comfrey (broad leaf) tuns brownish when I dry it. Does this have an affect on potency? Also I see you just take the leaf and stip it, wow mine stings like nettle, is that normal?
Thank you so much, Heidi. I am new to herbalism. I had never heard anyone suggest soaking the herb in alcohol to increase the extraction that would happen in the oil. Next time you do a salve video, will you please show us how firm / soft your finished salve is? I haven't made my first salve yet, and I've wondered how much beeswax to use. Also, I was wondering...if I used coconut oil to infuse my comfrey into, would I even need beeswax? My thinking is that coconut oil is solid at room temperature. Is there a reason that this wouldn't work?
Hi! Yes, I can talk about the art of salve making, for sure! I typically use 1 cup of infused oil to 1/4 cup of beeswax. That is Rosemary Gladstar's original ratio, and I just always used it for most things because it's a really nice consistency---not loose, but not too hard, either. I wouldn't use coconut oil for a couple of reasons: 1) Some people are actually allergic to it on their skin (like me); 2) Although it is firm at some room temperatures, with heat above about 76 degrees, it melts. I would probably still add some organic beeswax to it (my opinion)
@@HeidiVillegas Thank you for your reply. None of my family members are allergic to coconut oil, but I didn't realize it had such a low melting point. I just bought a couple of Rosemary Gladstar's books, but I haven't gotten to the "making salve" section yet!
Absolutely! The comfrey will still release constituents into the herbal oil...it just won't have quite as much strength, but if the comfrey is freshly dried or of high quality from a good herb supplier, it will still be effective
Comfrey may be helpful, especially in conjunction with calendula and plantain. Here's a recipe, too: healingharvesthomestead.com/home/2018/5/16/how-to-make-an-herbal-anti-itch-salve-or-balm-great-for-bug-bites-dry-itchy-skin-allergic-reactions-more ***You can find hundreds of articles/recipes and videos in the SEARCH index on my website: healingharvesthomestead.com/
I have been letting some comfrey sit in olive oil for about a year. Do you think it's still ok to make salve out of it? I did it before finding your video.
No, it's not really an alcohol extract in the true sense. It's simply using alcohol as an intermediary solvent (small amount) to jump start and increase the plant's ability to release constituents into the oil.🥰
I want to make the comfrey salve and I purchased high proof alcohol, I think that I purchased the wrong kind I got the 200 proof denatured alcohol, can I use this ok? I know that it’s not fit to drink, but the description says it can be used for cosmetic.
Well, for the salve, you're just going to use a lipid oil, like olive oil, as your solvent. For the soaking (alcohol intermediary) part, any edible alcohol is fine, but NO to the denatured. This is ok for perfumes and what not. If the label says it's ok for cosmetic use, then it's probably ok to use, but do some more research on this, ok? I'm not honestly sure....
Thank you for the video. I think that if you got a metric scale, you would be more accurate with your measurements. Instead of counting 40 drops, you could just say 1.3 grams for example. The cup system is not really suitable for making medicines consistently.
Hi--- Well, herbs can support healthy hormones, but they are not full of testosterone, per se. I do have a great tea for men's health on my website you can take a look at: healingharvesthomestead.com/home/2016/11/19/herbal-tea-for-men-how-to-make-manly-man-herbal-tea-ed-reproductive-support Do some research on saw palmetto. It's gentle and very supportive.
You could omit the alcohol either way, and it would still be lovely. The alcohol just helps give it a little head start if you're doing the fast method. :-)
Questions Heidi, using the alcohol in comfrey method. After 3 days in the crockpot, is all of the alcohol evaporated from the oil? What heat level should I have my crockpot running on during the oil extraction process of 8 hours to 3 days? I absolutely love your videos. Very thorough and informative. Keep up the excellent work.
I don't actually sell it....although if I can find someone to come help me in the shop, I may be able to do this one day! I mainly teach online herbalism courses and help people become more self-sufficient with their health. :-)
I think I remember keeping this one super simple, with the same number of drops for all the oils....but if I'm remembering wrong, maybe someone can correct me? :-)
@@JamesWayne-kn1yg Oh, for heaven's sake. She said during the video that she had 240 drops of essential oils in the bowl. Then she said she had used 30 drops of one of the oils. Then she counted and said she had used 8 oils. If she now answers the question with the fact that she used the same number of drops for each oil, then yes. She answered the question. Be nice.
Oh, my goodness! I use mine for: pain, sprains or broken bones, inflammation, varicose veins (do NOT massage varicose veins that are distended---smooth, light upward motions only), and any kind of tissue healing, including scars. :-)
Be careful with comfrey tincture---This formulation is for a salve, which is very different. The tincture will have high levels of PA's, and some herbalists/scientists believe these are dangerous for our livers. Others disagree, but you need to know about the plants! The mint in alcohol will be delicious!
![COMFREY SALVE - STEP BY STEP [HOW TO MAKE IT] (OAG)](/img/1.gif)
When you grow too much comfrey, it's also great to cut and put in the garden around your plants, or soak it in water for a couple weeks and water your plants with it, the plants love all those nutrients. My tomatoes and peppers always thrive when I water them with comfrey tea
Great tip, and thank you! I love making comfrey tea, and I should do a video on this, too!
I'm sure that video would help some people. I also add other nutrients to my comfrey tea as well, such as bone meal and fish oil, it's made a huge difference in my soil, which used to be predominately clay.
I enjoyed your video on comfrey. I turned 80 this week and i retired from the Y in Estes Park Colorado and my life long dream is to have a working herb garden to make my own med.,etc. My family has been real supporting. I would like to get some good comfrey Roots to plant this spring. I bought five acreas and love to garden and raise my own eggs and meats. Lol
I'm very hard of hearing and I have my phone on max. It's my only connection to the internet. I live in an area where there is no internet. Even hughes net (very expensive) goes in and out frequently. So this is my only connection to your you tube videos. I would greatly appreciated it if you would put the recipe in the comments, because for me you talk very fast. I missed some of the ingredients because of my hearing. You have a wonderful informative chanel and I have subscribed. Thank you for all your wonderful work. Bless you and your family ❤
You are SO informative!!!! THANK YOU!!!! May God bless you and your family 🫶🏼🙏🏼✨
You are so welcome🥰
I have a problem. I used an entire bottle of vodka to cover my comfrey...because thats what you normally hear. I hope i havent ruined my comfrey.? Please give direction. :) I love your channel! I love that your not afraid to give God credit. :)
I don't know how God directed me to your channel. Very informative channel. Shalom ubrajot from Mexico 🙏.
Welcome to the community here! So glad you found me!
@@HeidiVillegas 🙏
Hello, I just wanted to know do you have to use alcohol, if you plan to let it sit for a few weeks.@@HeidiVillegas
Another Win Heidi, honestly these classes are invaluable. So useful and full of ideas for health and wellness. Thank you again for pointing out another herbal gift from God.❤
Thanks, Kathy!🥰
Also---I'll have the Comfrey masterclass video out in the school soon, too! I'm going DEEP into the chemistry and other ways to work with comfrey.
Heidi, this was soo nice to watch. Your video was well made, no faff, just straight to the essential facts. Well done, and thank you
Thank you so much, Helena! I try my best not to babble....LOL But sometimes...? I'm doing better. My husband edits the videos, and when I get long-winded, he sure lets me know!🤣
Love the comfrey salve information, I’m just now drying some leaves so for me this was perfect timing! Thank you Heidi ❤
Oh, I'm so glad it was timely! Yep! It's definitely time to go get the last of the leaves before fall frosts!
I love comfrey! I make a comfrey salve for my mom who has chronic pain from a car accident years ago and my dad who has arthritis in his back from an accident he had when he worked in construction years ago. They use it all the time and it works for their pain better than pain meds! I broke my leg (fibula) 3 weeks ago yesterday. I started using my comfrey salve about 5 days after breaking my leg, it’s in a boot not a cast, so I was able to take the boot off to apply the salve. I am 53, so I thought it would take all of the 6 weeks to start moving around kind of normal. Well, Almost all pain, swelling and bruising is gone and I am walking like normal. I almost feel like I could take the boot off and walk without it…I won’t, but I feel like I could! I am also drinking a tea that has horsetail and other herbs…I haven’t tried comfrey internally yet. But I do believe Comfrey is a miracle plant and I will always have it on hand!
WOW! What a great testimonial for comfrey! I'm so glad you shared your story, and I'm also very sorry about your broken leg and hope it heals super quickly! It sounds like with the comfrey, it will--- On internal use....yes, please do be very cautious, but I did suggest to my stepmom when she broke her collar bone to drink one or two cups of comfrey tea a day for two weeks to speed the tissue cell regeneration. I'm not sure if she did this or not, but she healed quickly too! **In case the Powers that Be are not a fan of this conversation, I just want to mention that allantoin is the chemical in comfrey that is so powerful for tissue regeneration.
@@HeidiVillegas thank you so much! I might give it a try! Comfrey is probably no worse for my liver than the ibuprofen i took for the first week after breaking my leg.
Homeopathic comfrey is known as Symphytum and used to speed bone healing. Comfrey is also known as “Knitbone” for obvious reasons.
@@joyceohman4789 do you know if Boiron symphytum officinale 30c is a good homeopathic version of comfrey?
I love your delight in your products ❤
Thank you! I do love making things with medicinal plants! I'll never tire of it!
Thanks Heidi for sharing this with us. Love your videos. ❤
You are so welcome! And thank you---
I absolutely love the lighting that you have in your studio! 💞 Looks so inviting 🤗
Thank you so much, Laura!
Thank you for this step by step! Now I can make my own! I’m growing comfy and super excited about it
That's GREAT! I'd love to see your salve when it's ready!
Thank you ❤
You're welcome 😊
This article was very informative , thanks, can l get the recipe please as l was unable to keep apace and what would be the procedure? Thanks for your response. Doris
I use only olive oil, local unprocessed beeswax and finely powdered, dehydrated, fresh comfrey leaf and everyone I've gifted it to report amazing pain relief. Don't be discouraged if your budget doesn't allow for the essential oils, the comfrey is the only healing, pain relieving ingredient needed.
This is 100% correct. The essential oils DO add additional anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and warming/cooling properties to the salve, though, which boosts its effectiveness significantly. :-)
Always great information, thank you Heidi!
You are so welcome!🥰
Thank you for this just- in-time video. I have comfrey infusing and almost ready.
Glad it was helpful! If you go to the community tab, I wonder if you can share a picture? Or if you send it to me, I'd love to post when you finish! That's awesome!🥰
@HeidiVillegas I'm not really tech savvy, lol, but I'll try.
I have 6 comfrey plants and love it. Thanks to you, I have a one.more.idea of what to do with my comfrey. 😊
That's great! Thank you, Cecilia!
Great video Heidi. Love comfrey. Love all your classes.
Thank you so much, Bernie!!! I'm so glad you're such a wonderful mentor in our student village!🥰
Just enjoying getting to know you, your personality, and all this amazing information! Thank you!
Welcome to the community! And thank you so much!🥰
Could I add Cayenne to that
Thank you for the recipe, Heidi!
How much % essential oil, please? About 2%?
Another wonderful video. Thanks so much Heidi ❤😊
I appreciate your sweet words!
How do I access the library Heidi often mentions? Thanks
Thanks for the info. You are so sweet God bless you always.
Thank you so much, Anthony!
This is the most comprehensive video on youtube re 'making comfrey salve' .
Wow, thank you! I appreciate your comment, and please share if it comes up with others!
What a GREAT teaching video. I made a salve that really helped my dad's arthritis and also used in on my knee that was seriously injured and very painful. It made the difference between walking with a stiff and painful knee and not walking at all.
QUESTION: does the initial high grain alcohol infusion reduce the salves longevity? Hmm, or maybe it lengthens it.
I suspect it lengthens/increases the shelf life. :-)
I loved this video! Thank you!
You are so welcome!🥰 Thank you for the comment!
I have lots of comfrey too. What would consider to be the best time of year to harvest. Before blooming, I assume from looking at your dried plants. I regularly cut mine down in late July(I'm in Western Canada) and use it as a mulch to feed my plants, then it bounces back before freeze up really well. I made some salve a couple weeks ago but didn't know about the alcohol soak so I'd like to make another batch that's stronger. My first batch was shared in with my daughter and she's using on bandaid reaction on her daughter's knees so I'm not upset that my first batch was weaker. It's really helping the healing process from the nasty inflammation on her knees. My plants are just about to finish flowering and we are in a heat wave so I'm not really sure I'd get the best salve from the plants right now.
It sounds like you're doing things perfectly!
This is worderful. I did subscribe. So can you cover the comfrey infused alcohol in a glass jar with a lid, and then after you strain it, can you use that leftover used comfrey debris in the garden, etc. Thank you anyone.
Yes, you can. I compost all the spent herbs. :-)
I cracked my ribs recently I have been using comfrey salve it is very helpful with the pain and healing.
I'm sorry about your ribs, but grateful the comfrey salve is helping!
Love my comfrey
Me too!
Do you have a resource for identifying various plants that are part of your courses
Not in this course---that would be plant identification and botany. But that will be included as I keep creating courses for the school!
Hello Heidi - Im doing the DTD course and see that the Video for the Comfrey is not available yet. I have the E-Book, just want to know if you will have a follow up video - Would love to see it for sure!
YES! The masterclass inside the Tribe is where we'll be going deep into comfrey phytochemistry in a live chat, and I think it's this coming week on Thursday. I'll be digging into the chemistry around the PA's and specifically, the PA in comfrey because there are many different kinds.
Hey, there! So glad you're here! Be sure to click the link so I can send along your FREE Fall Diffuser Blends (essential oils): healingharvesthomestead.lpages.co/opt-in-fall-diffuser-blends-to-eo-reference-guide/ OR if you're not watching this in the Fall, you will love my 24 page guide, "How to Relax Using Herbs & Oils" : healingharvesthomestead.lpages.co/how-to-relax-using-herbs-opt-in/ ALSO---there is a GREAT question by @tparris9299 below (and thank you for addressing the "comfrey elephant in the room"), and you may want to read it and the answer.
Thank you for the video! I love watching and learning. Question for you - If I am not going to make the salve for a couple of weeks, how long do you recommend I let the comfrey infuse in the olive oil? And would I still need to use heat?
You wouldn't need to use heat at all, and I'd let it infuse for about 4 weeks. :-)
This is awesome!
Thank you!
You're so very welcome!
Great Tutorial 💜💜💜
Thank you so much!
Hello how many drops of copaiba, black pepper, & rosemary ctype of camphor?
I just figured you could split it in equal amounts.
Hello Heidi I’m just learning thank you for these beautiful videos.
You say you use equal amounts, I’m just trying to understand thank you.
240 drops total
Peppermint 40
Lavender 30
Eucalyptus 30
Ginger 30
German Chamomile 30
That’s 160
Copaiba
Black pepper
Rosemary ctype camphor
That’s 80 drops left which on gets 20 drops. I want to make it right sorry.
I had that question, too. Haven’t found the answer yet.
Id love to see the consistency of your salve. Im having issues with adding too much wax 🤦🏽♀️
Well, I should show you! But in the meantime, it's kind of similar to vaseline, especially if it's warm.
Hello Heidi or someone else... I know there are differences in the wild medicinal plants and the ones you grow in your garden,what are your opinion about that? Seldom any talks about that?😊 The wild ones chose their place to live and their medicinal potency are greater. Am I right or wrong?
🧙☘️
I believe the wild herbs are stronger, yes.
I'll try it, wish you would have showed the color on ur skin...Thanks for the recipe
It's a beautiful green, but it doesn't stain unless you use a LOT...and that's not necessary.
@@HeidiVillegas Thank you, good to know, using substitutes for 2 ingredients that are supposed to have 'like' properties🤞
How long does it take to dry them? I'm thinking I can just hang the leaves in my barn to dry.
For me, just a few days. We're in a dry area, so if you're in humidity, it may take longer, and you may want to run a gentle fan so mold doesn't grow.
Can I use dried herbs instead of essential oils
I just got a bag of comfrey root dried. What can I do with it? What is it used for? I make bath and body products.
Hi, Cynthia! You can use it just like the leaf! If you're going to infuse it in oil, though, be sure to powder it down.
I have a question since castor oil has a lot of healing properties as well does anyone ever mix castor oil with the olive oil for salves? Or would that mess up the salve or not harden up right?
You can mix it--- although I've not tried it. Castor oil is thicker, so keep this in mind!
Love the video. I'm just getting into Herbal medicine. Can I use Tallow instead of shea butter
Yes, that's a fine substitute.
Can you use comfrey root?
Yes, it's very powerful!
Hi Heidi that was brilliant. How can i get your recipies. This came handy because i cant even move my right arm suddenly
I'm SO happy for you! Yes, this is such a wonderful formula. Visit my website for more: www.healingharvesthomestead.com and be sure to get on my newsletter list because I teach things there that aren't found anywhere else!
Where can I buy high proof alcohol to folllow this process?
It depends on your state, but most people can purchase from a liquor store or even certain grocery stores. If you can't get high proof in your state, you may be able to buy online. Organic Alcohol and Extractohol are two companies I like.
Do you have any remedy’s for goopy cat eyes?
Try a chamomile compress or wash---this helps with my cats. :-)
I am confused about this process of making salve. First, is it necessary to dry the Comfrey, or can I use fresh comfrey leaves with the alcohol? Second, once I let the tincture cure and I add in the olive oil how many days do I let that infuse? And thirdly, when I go to the double boiler process, am I aiming to let the alcohol evaporate from the mixture? Thanks.
1) Yes, dry or heavily wilt (several days as comfrey is very moist) the leaves, and chop
2) Alcohol rehydrates for only a day or so, so it's not a complete tincture
3) Olive oil infusion: Slow method (no heat) at least 4-6 weeks; Faster method (crock pot on low as in the film) I like several days....others will time this differently
4) The double boiler/crock pot process will remove a portion of the alcohol, but not all of it.
Hi. When making the infused oil, what do you do with the infused alcohol? Understood that once infused in alcohol you take it out and into the oil. Am I right ? Thank you for the recipie
During the long gentle heat process, much of it will evaporate off. I don't use enough alcohol for it to be problematic, generally.
Thanks for sharing Amazing, is this useful for pysiatica? Asking for a friend who had an accident.
I actually prefer St. Johns wort with comfrey, as the SJW has an excellent affinity with the nervous system.
I don't have any comfrey plants! Planning on planting them next year. I couldn't find any seeds for them. Hopefully I can order them earlier this year so I can get them
The best way to start your comfrey in the garden is from root starts. This is very easy to do, and the plants do well this way. Seed starting comfrey is a little tricky. I got mine from a friend who divided one of her plants for me and also ordered more from Richo Cech's company, Strictly Medicinals.
@@HeidiVillegas I will check them out! Thank you
Billy at Perma-Pasture farms sells comfrey , Google him or go to his you tube channel for info .
How do you get rid of the alcohol smell that you put on the comfrey at the start? I have tried the alcohol method to increase the extraction. But I can always smell the alcohol after the oil is added
That's the downside of using alcohol in oil infusions and to be honest, the main reason why I rarely do..... You really can't get rid of it, unfortunately, especially if you have a good sniffer,...
I did not understand, do you drain off the alcohol before you add leaves to the oil?😊 and your shop is no longer available online.
I didn't strain it off as I didn't use that much--a tablespoon or so. If there's a lot of liquid...you might drain, but then you're losing important constituents.
Can you describe again how you did the beginning with the alcohol please. You put comfry with alcohol in a crockpot for a couple days then mixed in OO and cooked that for a couple days?
No, I added a bit of alcohol to the dried, crumbled leaves. Then I let that sit, covered, for a day. Then I put the slightly rehydrated leaves into the jar with the oil. :-)
What application would you recommend for my sister who had knee replacement surgery one week ago? She’s having a challenging recovery
Hi, Karen! This is a great question for our Confident Herbalist Tribe community! You can find out more here: healingharvesthomestead.lpages.co/kaj-confident-herbalist-tribe-sp/
I love watching your videos. I am a visual learner so they help. This is my first time trying to make a salve. When you put in the crockpot did you put the lid on it? And would a bowl covered work as well, I don’t have a glass half gallon jar. Thank you!
No---do not put a lid on your crock pot because the evaporated steam may condense into the jar----not a good thing!
Where do you get your essential oils? And can I get a list of the ones used. There was one I didn't quite catch or make out the name
Here are two off the top of my head: Aromatics International (extremely trustworthy): afflink: bit.ly/AromaInt and Rocky Mountain Oils: bit.ly/2s3NOGf And I have a coupon code for Rocky Mountain Oils I shared last week in my newsletter. I think it's HHH10 off the top of my head.
I am allergic to both olive oil and beeswax. Do you think I could make this with a coconut oil/shea butter combo instead?
You can certainly give it a try, but the shea butter is soft, and you won't get a firm product. Have you considered subbing the beeswax with carnauba wax? It's a plant based wax, and you don't need quite as much of it as the beeswax. Any oil will be fine to sub for the olive oil.
I wonder if this would be good either way a warm cloth for tooth 🦷 extraction and place in side of face 🤔
You know? It wouldn't hurt, and it would absolutely be helpful for the skin on the face, too!
If you still have the need, you might want to research Spilanthes. It's a flower they call the Toothache Plant. I don't know, you may be able to find it in a health food store or an herbal practitioner's store. Someone gave me a cutting, and I am trying to get it to root; I haven't tried it yet, but they say that when you chew a blossom, or hold it in your mouth, it works like Ora-Jel. If mine makes it, I plan to tincture the flowers next year.
just received the bakers creek seed catalog. In the back of the catalog there is a plant, they call the toothache plant. The flowers are a small yellow flower that has a numbing affect when you chew it. I'm going to order these seeds for my herbal garden.
Hello, Heidi! I had made a small amount of goldenrod infused oil. Can I use that infused oil in addition to more fresh olive oil to infuse the Comfrey? Would that add to the healing quality? Thanks again, you are such a good teacher
Hi, and thank you so much! What I suggest is to infuse the comfrey separately in the olive oil. Then when it's done, combine the two infused oils in the ratio you'd like. Good luck with this!
Where do u find the e book ?
Is it safe to use aluminum. I am concerned about aluminum leeching into my salves. Any thoughts on this?
I've given this quite a lot of thought myself. Unless there's heat, it shouldn't be an issue. You can use glass jelly jars too!
hello there is it possible to use cocconut oil instead of beeswax ?
No, a lipid oil won't act the same in the salve as the beeswax. It may firm it a little in colder temps, as coconut oil is solid under a certain temperature, but beeswax, being a wax, is much better for the firmness.
I would love to get your book on comfrey and understand that I would need to take one of your courses first . But I have no time nor inclination to to become a "master herbalist". So , I would like to know the shortest course I would need to take in order to get this book . Thanks for your help .
Hi, Terry! I do not make the promise of becoming a "master herbalist" in any of my courses because to be honest....There's NO such thing. Any herbalist worth his or her salt knows this because we're never done learning. Also---herbalism is "illegal" in our country as a legitimate health practice. I suggest buying some books if you're not willing to invest in your overall herbal education. There are some really great ones out there, and you can find out my favorite ones here: ruclips.net/video/TPj2gfvEhSc/видео.html
Designing a home for agringado in
Good luck with this!
Where do you get your oils from
Hi, Sherry! I get my essential oils from: (afflinks) Rocky Mountain: bit.ly/2s3NOGf Aromatics International: bit.ly/AromaInt Amrita Aromatherapy: bit.ly/AMRITAEOs Plant Therapy: bit.ly/34cqzYU Florihana, Pompeii Street Organics, and By Faith Aromatherapy. I'm very careful about where I purchase my essential oils.
is comfrey salve ok to use on my kids? I assume majority of herbs ok to use topically and on kids but curious....I dont plan to use essential oils with it!
Yes, it's fine topically for kids, especially the older and heavier they are. I wouldn't use it long term. Essential oils are also fine, depending on the dilution and the child. :-) Just be sure they're high quality, and I've vetted a list of companies you can trust here (and I'm not an affiliate for most of them). Scroll about halfway down the page for the list: healingharvesthomestead.com/valuable-resources
I just had a c section can I use this on it
If the skin has started growing over the incision, and your doctor gives approval, yes, you sure can.
@@HeidiVillegas thank you!!
Is it possible for me to for me to get a copy of your comfrey infused book
With all the information you gave as l was unable to get all . How would l be able to get a
Copy of the Book on comfrey? This article was very informative. Thank you. Doris
Hi, Doris! Unfortunately, the only way to get the herbal masterclass books is to join our Confident Herbalist Tribe and dig into learning about the plants in our herbal village.
Hello Heidi. My comfrey (broad leaf) tuns brownish when I dry it. Does this have an affect on potency?
Also I see you just take the leaf and stip it, wow mine stings like nettle, is that normal?
Wow--no, that's strange. Are you sure you're working with comfrey? It's common to misidentify plants, even if they're purchased in a nursery.
Thank you so much, Heidi. I am new to herbalism. I had never heard anyone suggest soaking the herb in alcohol to increase the extraction that would happen in the oil.
Next time you do a salve video, will you please show us how firm / soft your finished salve is? I haven't made my first salve yet, and I've wondered how much beeswax to use. Also, I was wondering...if I used coconut oil to infuse my comfrey into, would I even need beeswax? My thinking is that coconut oil is solid at room temperature. Is there a reason that this wouldn't work?
Hi! Yes, I can talk about the art of salve making, for sure! I typically use 1 cup of infused oil to 1/4 cup of beeswax. That is Rosemary Gladstar's original ratio, and I just always used it for most things because it's a really nice consistency---not loose, but not too hard, either.
I wouldn't use coconut oil for a couple of reasons: 1) Some people are actually allergic to it on their skin (like me); 2) Although it is firm at some room temperatures, with heat above about 76 degrees, it melts. I would probably still add some organic beeswax to it (my opinion)
@@HeidiVillegas Thank you for your reply. None of my family members are allergic to coconut oil, but I didn't realize it had such a low melting point.
I just bought a couple of Rosemary Gladstar's books, but I haven't gotten to the "making salve" section yet!
I would wear an old t-shirt over my clothes like we used to do in art class when we were in grade school
Hi Heidi do you have a place where you get your tins?
I get them from Specialty Bottle
How can i get some of your comfrey salve/ oil?
Let me see if one of my students might put it in their shop!
can you use oregno oil
If you're within safe dilution percentages, yes.
Hi Heidi is it possible not to use alcohol and still make the salve?
Absolutely! The comfrey will still release constituents into the herbal oil...it just won't have quite as much strength, but if the comfrey is freshly dried or of high quality from a good herb supplier, it will still be effective
Hello! Can u tell us where u purchase your essential oils from?
Sure! And I only buy quality... Just scroll down and you'll see the EO's: healingharvesthomestead.com/valuable-resources
I infused dried comfrey in oil but it isnt that green as yours.. is it normal that its not green?
If it's older comfrey, it may have lost its vitality. The alcohol really does help pull out constituents, too, in the case of comfrey.
@@HeidiVillegas ok thank you! Is it ok to use comfrey salve for night skincare without alcohol if you are pregnant?
Is comfrey good for excema? Or is there a better salve(calendula, st. johns)? Thank you
Comfrey may be helpful, especially in conjunction with calendula and plantain. Here's a recipe, too: healingharvesthomestead.com/home/2018/5/16/how-to-make-an-herbal-anti-itch-salve-or-balm-great-for-bug-bites-dry-itchy-skin-allergic-reactions-more
***You can find hundreds of articles/recipes and videos in the SEARCH index on my website: healingharvesthomestead.com/
@@HeidiVillegasthank you ❤
I have been letting some comfrey sit in olive oil for about a year. Do you think it's still ok to make salve out of it? I did it before finding your video.
Absolutely. Just smell the oil to make sure it's not rancid, but it should be fine if you used good olive oil.
Hi Heidi
I have Bocking 14 Comfrey in my garden
Can I use it to make salve?
Yes you can!🥰
Thanks I have that growing so perfect! Do you know if it’s best to use the leaves before it flowers I’m going to do some more research on this
So wait, to be clear, you are making an alcohol extract and infusing that into oil using a double boiler? That's cool.
No, it's not really an alcohol extract in the true sense. It's simply using alcohol as an intermediary solvent (small amount) to jump start and increase the plant's ability to release constituents into the oil.🥰
Well I hope I didn't ruin my comfery because I added an entire bottle of vodka. Any advice?
Hi Heidi can I use comfrey powder? I bought some thinking it would be easier to make the salve? Thanks so much 😊😊
Yes you can---Just use only about 1/4 of the jar full, and also be sure to shake it daily because the powders will compact pretty badly.
@@HeidiVillegas thank you Heidi..ok so just to clarify I should use half of the powder than what you used leaf?
I want to make the comfrey salve and I purchased high proof alcohol, I think that I purchased the wrong kind I got the 200 proof denatured alcohol, can I use this ok? I know that it’s not fit to drink, but the description says it can be used for cosmetic.
Well, for the salve, you're just going to use a lipid oil, like olive oil, as your solvent. For the soaking (alcohol intermediary) part, any edible alcohol is fine, but NO to the denatured. This is ok for perfumes and what not. If the label says it's ok for cosmetic use, then it's probably ok to use, but do some more research on this, ok? I'm not honestly sure....
Where do you buy 180 proof alcohol?
I usually buy 190 proof, which is closest to 100% you can purchase. And most liquor stores will have it---but it will depend on your state laws.
Thank you for the video. I think that if you got a metric scale, you would be more accurate with your measurements. Instead of counting 40 drops, you could just say 1.3 grams for example. The cup system is not really suitable for making medicines consistently.
I don't have 3/4 cup of comfrey can I use 1/2 cup of cayenne and 1/2 cup of comfrey instead
Yes, you sure can. The properties of the salve will be different, but for pain relief, it would still be great!
Hi, do you have any herb recommendations for increasing testosterone and libido/ have you made a video on this?
Hi--- Well, herbs can support healthy hormones, but they are not full of testosterone, per se. I do have a great tea for men's health on my website you can take a look at: healingharvesthomestead.com/home/2016/11/19/herbal-tea-for-men-how-to-make-manly-man-herbal-tea-ed-reproductive-support
Do some research on saw palmetto. It's gentle and very supportive.
Heidi, if I was to use the sun method, would I omit the alcohol ? Thank you!!
You could omit the alcohol either way, and it would still be lovely. The alcohol just helps give it a little head start if you're doing the fast method. :-)
Questions Heidi, using the alcohol in comfrey method. After 3 days in the crockpot, is all of the alcohol evaporated from the oil? What heat level should I have my crockpot running on during the oil extraction process of 8 hours to 3 days? I absolutely love your videos. Very thorough and informative. Keep up the excellent work.
@@Swartzs86did you get an answer? I would like to know as well
Where do I find the recipe?
I shared it in the video. :-) Comfrey, a bit of high proof alcohol, oil, warmth, time...
What kind of Alchohol did you use?
Thank you so much for sharing this. I'm going to make it.
I used 190 proof, but 150 would have been fine, too.
Denatured or non denatured alcohol?
I’d like to know as well.
Everclear grain alcohol from the liquor store works.
Are you selling any of the salve
No, not at this time. I just don't have the bandwidth to sell products. I need help! :-)
How much alcohol do you use in the comfry
Not much...just enough to wet the dried leaves a bit, with none left on the bottom of the bowl.
How much do you charge for the 2 0z tin of Comfrey /EO salve ? I just found you ( Yaaaaaay ) Love and Peace, Catherine
I don't actually sell it....although if I can find someone to come help me in the shop, I may be able to do this one day! I mainly teach online herbalism courses and help people become more self-sufficient with their health. :-)
If I lived closer I would come and help in the store !! @@HeidiVillegas
I missed the number of drops for the copaiba, rosemary and black pepper.
I think I remember keeping this one super simple, with the same number of drops for all the oils....but if I'm remembering wrong, maybe someone can correct me? :-)
@@HeidiVillegas that was a lengthy reply , not to answer a guesting , which leads me to wonder if your channel is worth subscribing to .
@@JamesWayne-kn1yg Oh, for heaven's sake. She said during the video that she had 240 drops of essential oils in the bowl. Then she said she had used 30 drops of one of the oils. Then she counted and said she had used 8 oils. If she now answers the question with the fact that she used the same number of drops for each oil, then yes. She answered the question. Be nice.
What is salve used for?
Oh, my goodness! I use mine for: pain, sprains or broken bones, inflammation, varicose veins (do NOT massage varicose veins that are distended---smooth, light upward motions only), and any kind of tissue healing, including scars. :-)
thank you
💖
I have lots of mint and comfrey so I will mix the both in the alcohol .
Be careful with comfrey tincture---This formulation is for a salve, which is very different. The tincture will have high levels of PA's, and some herbalists/scientists believe these are dangerous for our livers. Others disagree, but you need to know about the plants! The mint in alcohol will be delicious!