Pioneer Woman at Heart

One Flourishing, Frugal and Fun Family!

One family learning to live off the land, cut back on expenses, and to live a simpler and a more self-sufficient lifestyle.

Adopted Motto

"Eat it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do,
Or go without."
~A Pioneer Sampler, by Barbara Greenwood~

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Comfrey Poultice ~ Tidbits

This was my first time to actually use comfrey for anything.  You could call this a "pile to file" recipe too.  The first time I planted it (live plant vs. seed), it died.  This year I planted organic/non-gmo seeds and was successful.  This year however, I am making comfrey poultices to put in my freezer.


First, I grind the leaves in my food processor (worked better than my blender) with a touch of water.  Most recipes I found said to add flour to make the "paste."  I also read that chia seeds works well too.


Now, if anyone gets hurt, bruised, or whatnot this winter, I am set for a natural remedy.  I just fold up the poultice, and put it into a plastic bag to freeze. 


I had to make one for Hubby anyway, so I thought I would just get some in the freezer too.  He has nasty bruise on his arm. 


Dinner ended up leftovers.  I was not up to it, and we had the goods in the fridge anyway.  It's that time where the school's 8th grade trip to D.C. has their annual parent meeting.  Hubby went with our daughter so I could rest, but it will cost us $595.00 to send her.  This is our third kid to go on this trip, and thankfully the last.

My throat is still sore, but I have a bit more energy.  I already have laundry going in the washer, but the garden is not going to happen today.  My garlic will be going in late this year.  That's okay.  I'd rather put it in late, than not at all. I hope to replant over 100 bulbs this fall.

Jesse, our 18 year-old's dog, has chewed up the kitchen trash twice this week.  That little stinker.  I know he misses her, and she misses him.  He's brought his toy to me a few times now.  Luckily, her roommate lives not far from us, and will be bringing her to visit on Friday for the long weekend.  

I just need to get after Hubby to get that cupboard door up that covers the trash can.  We still need to put the hinges on the door and put it up.  We don't have the wood working tool to put it together, but his nephew does. I guess we both kind of forgot about it lately.  I'll be re-writing the "to-do" list, as we have part of one large job completed now.

9 comments:

Mama Pea said...

We've grown and used comfrey for many, many years. It's also good as a livestock feed (in moderation), is great mulch for fruit trees, can be cooked like spinach and is good for any internal injury (such as a broken bone or damaged muscle). I had a rough time with the birth of our daughter and my dear husband made me eat so much comfrey during my recovery that I never wanted to see it again! 'Course, the upside is that I healed very fast and was back to normal pdq!

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Mama Pea, thank you for all that advice. I will have to grow it in the ground next year, so we can have more of it. When Son is home, I'm going to cook some up for him. That heat stroke took a toll on his organs. How do you cook it?

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Mama Pea, I have another question. Can it be dried and put into soups/stews and other meals? I'm asking, because then I can mail him some to eat now.

Sandra said...

The poultices look interesting. I have never thought to do that.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Sandra, I read a few articles online that state to wrap the poultice onto you with plastic wrap. It keeps it in place and no mess. I also found a comfrey soup recipe. I just have to ask Son's doctor if he can have comfrey with having had a heat stroke. Heat strokes tend to damage the liver, and comfrey is not good on the liver, if eating too much.

Mama Pea said...

Kristina, I cook the comfrey leaves in a little water or steam them. But be sure to use only the baby leaves (no more than 4" long) as the larger leaves have a prickly surface which does not disappear in cooking. Drain, add a little butter and salt and serve. A dash of vinegar as you would do with spinach is good also. Or melt mozzarella cheese on top to serve.

The only drawback to comfrey is that it's slightly mucilaginous. Drying it and putting small amounts in soups or stews is good, too. Come people brew a comfrey leaf tea, but it's not the most delicious stuff you've ever tasted and you probably don't get the same benefits as eating the whole leaf.

When we had our goats, they loved it either fresh or dried and sprinkled in with their hay.

RB said...

I hope you get to feeling better fast and don't have this month-long thing going around some places in NC.
I've read that Comfrey makes a tea good for upper respiratory ailments. Don't take my word for that without researching it first just to be safe though.
Stepped in a fire ant nest in the dark last night and had one of the worst nights of my life. Have stepped in them before and got the usual itching and pustules, but something was different last night, ending me up in a full blown allergic reaction that hand my hands and feet red, swollen, burning and itching when the bites were only on my left foot. I ended up taking two doses of Benadryl, and that took the edge off so I could get some sleep on here and there, then back for more Benadryl to soothe the itch and burn. Left foot is still swollen. Couldn't get my shoes on for work, so stayed home.
Awful things, fire ants are. Awful!!! Thank God it wasn't one of our animals or one of the neighbor's small children.
God bless.
RB
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Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Mama Pea, thank you for all those tips and instructions. I found a soup recipe yesterday too. Very interesting to find this out.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

RB, I hope you are doing well. I remember those fire ants when I stepped in the wrong place once. Yikes!