Nature of Well-being Summer 2019

Using plants for healing is an ancient practice, and plants have provided the basis for much of modern medicine. There are many herbal remedies that can be made from plants found on  Wellesley’s campus, although you should always be cautious when using herbal plant remedies. During the summer, Paulson Initiative and Botanical Garden interns attended herbalism workshops led by Heather Irvine, in which they made comfrey (Symphytum officinale) and yarrow (Achillea millefolium) all-purpose salve with plants harvested from the Edible Ecosystem Teaching Garden. The salve can be used to treat very minor surface cuts and itchiness, but it can also treat minor burns, bruises, and muscle soreness. Click here to find a simple recipe to make your own all-purpose salve!

Ingredients

• Comfrey leaves (enough to fill 3/4th of a pot) 

• Yarrow leaves and flowers (couple hand fulls) 

• Extra virgin olive oil

• Beeswax 

Supplies

Medium sized pots (2), Bowl, Jars, Spoon, Scissors, Jelly/nut bag, Labels/pen, Burner, Knife, Teaspoon

Instructions

1. Using scissors chop comfrey and yarrow into small pieces of about 1 cm long.

2. Melt 2 tsp of beeswax in a pot.

3. Add comfrey and yarrow into another pot, mix and pour in olive oil, covering surface of the leaves and flowers.

4. Simmer comfrey and yarrow mixture for 20 mins at a low temperature; do not let bubble or burn.

5. Wrap the jelly/nut bag around the opening of a bowl, pour in the mixture.

6. Remove the bag from the bowl by gathering the edges, gently squeeze out the rest of the liquid/oil into the bowl.

7. Add the melted beeswax into the liquid and blend with a spoon. Melt more beeswax for a thicker salve consistency. 

8. Pour mixture into jars, let cool to let the mixture hardens

9. Label jars.

10. Essential oils can be added for fragrance.