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This is a Badge Bit (BB) that is part of the PEP Curiculum. Completing this BB is part of getting the sand badge in Natural Medicine.

In this BB you will create a comfrey leaf infused oil using plant material you harvested. Infusion is a method of extracting desired compounds from plant material by steeping the material in warm or cool oil.



Additional Information:
How to Make an Infused Oil
How to use and make Comfrey Oil (and why it’s controversial)
How To Make Comfrey Oil And Salve (And Why To Avoid Comfrey Tea)

Minimum requirements:
  - Make an infused oil using plant material you harvested
  - Use comfrey leaf

To document completion of the BB, provide proof of the following as pictures or a video (< 2 minutes):
 - Harvested plant material (either being harvested or just harvested)
 - Making the infusion (plant material in oil) with a description of the oil and any other ingredients you used
 - Finished (strained) infused oil in its labeled jar
COMMENTS:
 
gardener
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Approved submission
Here is my submission for the Natural Medicine Aspect - Sand for Straw - Make a Comfrey Leaf Infused Oil BB.

I harvested Comfrey and made an infused oil at Wheaton Labs during the PTJ 2021.  I originally submitted it before straining the comfrey leaves out.  I put it in a crockpot-style heater for 24 hours then strained the oil.  Now it is ready to be used.  

To document the completion of the BB, I have provided the following:
- picture of the comfrey leaf being harvested
- picture of the infused oil being made
- picture of the finished (strained) infused oil in its labeled jar
1.JPG
Harvested Leaves
Harvested Leaves
2.JPG
leaves, jar, and oil
leaves, jar, and oil
4.JPG
straining the leaves
straining the leaves
5.JPG
finished and labeled
finished and labeled
Staff note (gir bot) :

Nicole Alderman approved this submission.
Note: I hereby certify that this badge bit is complete!

 
pollinator
Posts: 103
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Approved submission
I harvested some comfrey to make oil, which I will then use to make salve for sprains, strains and muscle pains.

To document the completion of the BB, I have provided the following:
- picture of the comfrey leaf being harvested
- picture of the infused oil being made
- picture of the finished (strained) infused oil in its labeled jar
20210722_124050.jpg
Comfrey leaf harvest
Comfrey leaf harvest
20210805_131749.jpg
Comfrey evoo double boiler
Comfrey evoo double boiler
20210805_134417.jpg
Warming to strain
Warming to strain
20210805_135147.jpg
Comfrey infused evoo
Comfrey infused evoo
Staff note (gir bot) :

Opalyn Rose approved this submission.
Note: I hereby certify this badge bit complete.

 
pollinator
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Location: Meppel (Drenthe, the Netherlands)
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Now I found out there are different ways of making Comfrey Oil.
I already made one (not for the BB) using comfrey roots and heating the oil 'au bain marie' (in double pot, in water that's at the boiling point).
Lots of comfrey plants are growing in the allotment garden at places where I don't want them. I'll harvest those plants, all of them, leaves and roots (as far as possible ...). So I'll use those leaves for this BB. Plenty of comfrey will be staying (or re-growing from the roots) to use as mulch.
For the BB I'll dry the leaves first, so I can follow the method shown in that video. The way it's shown there too with Calendula I already did (not for a BB).
 
Apprentice Rocket Scientist
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Submission flagged incomplete
This comfrey from my front yard was out of control! It needed a haircut. I chopped it, heat-infused it into plain olive oil,  then bottled it for later.
20220603_124244.jpg
harvesting
harvesting
20220830_142753.jpg
straining
straining
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labeled jar
labeled jar
Staff note (gir bot) :

Paul Fookes flagged this submission as not complete.
BBV price: 1
Note: Please read the BB requirements and add appropriate photographs -  The picture of the comfrey is to be in the oil not on top of..

 
pollinator
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I grow comfrey and want to make salve and infused oil. It looks like everyone is using fresh, but from my research dried comfrey will make oil & salve that lasts longer. Is it fine to make the salve & infused oil with dried comfrey? I can still post a picture of me harvesting before I dry it.
Staff note (Nikki Roche) :

Great question! Yes, dried comfrey can be used as long as you have the photo of you harvesting it.

 
Joy Hancock
pollinator
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Approved submission
Comfrey Leaf Oil Infusion - I used the cold infusion method with olive oil. I harvested this from my garden, but dried it first. I read that dried herbs have less chance of spoilage because there's less water content.

Infusion was put in a dark cabinet for 4 weeks and taken out to stir and smell every couple of days. I had to check and make sure that the comfrey stayed submerged. I plan to make a salve with this!
IMG_7140.jpeg
harvesting it
harvesting it
IMG_7238.jpeg
pouring the olive oil over the dried herbs
pouring the olive oil over the dried herbs
IMG_7239.jpeg
mixing it
mixing it
IMG_7240.jpeg
olive oil used
olive oil used
IMG_7527.jpeg
straining after 4 weeks
straining after 4 weeks
IMG_7528.jpg
comfrey leaf infused oil!
comfrey leaf infused oil!
Staff note (gir bot) :

Someone approved this submission.

 
pollinator
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Approved submission
Made some  comfrey oil for my first ever salve project.

I planted this comfrey two years ago knowing it's the perfect herb for a permaculture garden, now I'm excited to finally add it to my first aid kit!
I used olive oil.
Harvest.jpg
[Thumbnail for Harvest.jpg]
Infusion.jpg
[Thumbnail for Infusion.jpg]
Comfrey-Oil.jpg
[Thumbnail for Comfrey-Oil.jpg]
Staff note (gir bot) :

Timothy Norton approved this submission.

 
Posts: 77
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Edge case submission

Opalyn Rose wrote:This is a Badge Bit (BB) that is part of the PEP Curiculum. Completing this BB is part of getting the sand badge in Natural Medicine.

In this BB you will create a comfrey leaf infused oil using plant material you harvested. Infusion is a method of extracting desired compounds from plant material by steeping the material in warm or cool oil.



Additional Information:
How to Make an Infused Oil
How to use and make Comfrey Oil (and why it’s controversial)
How To Make Comfrey Oil And Salve (And Why To Avoid Comfrey Tea)

Minimum requirements:
  - Make an infused oil using plant material you harvested
  - Use comfrey leaf

To document completion of the BB, provide proof of the following as pictures or a video (< 2 minutes):
 - Harvested plant material (either being harvested or just harvested)
 - Making the infusion (plant material in oil) with a description of the oil and any other ingredients you used
 - Finished (strained) infused oil in its labeled jar

IMG_2623.jpeg
I infused olive oil with comfrey harvested from my garden
I infused olive oil with comfrey harvested from my garden
IMG_2625.jpeg
Here it is infusing
Here it is infusing
IMG_2626.jpeg
Strained and ready to use.
Strained and ready to use.
Staff note (gir bot) :

Someone flagged this submission as an edge case.
BBV price: 0
Note: "finished" means that plant material is removed from the oil and I can't determine that from the photos.  Please make new submission.

 
pollinator
Posts: 223
Location: East Texas, USA
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Approved submission
I made Comfrey-leaf-infused Olive Oil!

Minimum requirements:
  - Make an infused oil using plant material you harvested
  - Use comfrey leaf

To document completion of the BB, provide proof of the following as pictures or a video (< 2 minutes):
 - Harvested plant material (either being harvested or just harvested)
 - Making the infusion (plant material in oil) with a description of the oil and any other ingredients you used
 - Finished (strained) infused oil in its labeled jar



I harvested comfrey from my dear neighbor’s garden. The plant was already in bloom, but I made sure to harvest the younger, more tender leaves. I don’t know if it was the comfrey itself or another plant nearby, but I smelt a pleasant cucumber-melon scent as I picked the leaves. The washed leaves stuck to my drying towel like Velcro. I dried the leaves in the air-purifier hammock like I did my blackberry leaves, and set the dried leaves to infuse in a jar of olive oil in the pantry for five weeks, shaking occasionally. The leaves took up more volume than I expected, so I needed a larger jar and more olive oil than originally planned to keep them submerged and still had to leave some out. Then, I strained the oil, bottled, and labeled it. I am keeping the dropper bottles to use as they are, and may use the oil in the large bottle to make a salve.
IMG_2853.jpeg
[Thumbnail for IMG_2853.jpeg]
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[Thumbnail for IMG_2851.jpeg]
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[Thumbnail for IMG_2855.jpeg]
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[Thumbnail for IMG_2881.jpeg]
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[Thumbnail for IMG_2882.jpeg]
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[Thumbnail for IMG_3404.jpeg]
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[Thumbnail for IMG_3406.jpeg]
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[Thumbnail for IMG_3408.jpeg]
Staff note (gir bot) :

Nikki Roche approved this submission.
Note: Complete! Great job

 
gardener
Posts: 838
Location: South Carolina
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Approved submission
Comfrey leaf in jojoba oil. I did a quick infusion by putting the jar in a warm crockpot for several hours, and it's been great for my hurt knee and ankle.
PXL_20240802_145301201.jpg
Freshly harvested comfrey leaves
Freshly harvested comfrey leaves
PXL_20240802_153446778.jpg
Finely diced leaves in jojoba oil
Finely diced leaves in jojoba oil
PXL_20240802_221818559.jpg
The finished, strained comfrey oil
The finished, strained comfrey oil
Staff note (gir bot) :

Carla Burke approved this submission.

 
pollinator
Posts: 245
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Approved submission
Comfrey oil
20240818_172726.jpg
harvesting
harvesting
20240909_100823.jpg
comfrey in olive oil
comfrey in olive oil
20240909_121200.jpg
completed oil jarred and labeled
completed oil jarred and labeled
Staff note (gir bot) :

Jeremy VanGelder approved this submission.

 
Posts: 39
Location: Atlanta, Ga
10
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Approved submission
I made comfrey oil with the leaves I dried for the drying BB. I crushed the leaves further in the jar and then added the organic olive oil. I must have forgotten to take a picture but I placed the jar in the bottom of a dehydrator that was already running at a low heat to dry other herbs/mushrooms. After 2 days or so to infuse I put a screen lid in the band and used my lab stand to let it filter/drain for a couple of hours. When it stopped dripping I figured good enough and did not bother with the added mess of trying to squeeze any more out of the plant matter. Finished and labeled until I take it further and make it into a salve.
IMG_3686.JPG
harvest prior to drying for other BB
harvest prior to drying for other BB
IMG_3718-Copy.jpg
crushing/grinding
crushing/grinding
IMG_3719-Copy.jpg
evoo added
evoo added
IMG_3720.jpg
straining after a couple days in a warm dehydrator
straining after a couple days in a warm dehydrator
IMG_3732.jpg
infused oil strained and labeled, with plant leftovers in jar with screen
infused oil strained and labeled, with plant leftovers in jar with screen
Staff note (gir bot) :

Someone approved this submission.

 
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