HARVESTING THE COMFREY

THOUGHTFUL HARVEST

More Than Just Pollinators To Consider

When cutting Comfrey for harvest the bees and other pollinators are not our only consideration. We leave some choice leaves for our neighborhood foragers... wild rabbits, groundhogs -  also slugs and snails! They all love to nibble on the leaves. 

Comfrey also provides food and, or, shelter for all types of small wildlife: insects, amphibians, reptiles birds and small mammals. Because the leaves offer all these benefits to so many creatures, it also becomes a great hunting ground for any predictors looking to feed off of its varied visitors.  

HARVEST PROCEEDURES

When the flowers have died down the Comfrey is cut before it droops and falls to the ground. It is cleanest at this stage. Also, it is actually healthier for the plant to be cut back when the flowers die down. Cutting allows the plant to put all its energy and resources into producing the growth of new leaves. It also allows the new growth to get more sun.

The dead flowers and the big leaves become very heavy and the stems can't support their weight - so they droop, as seen in the images above. An added bonus to cutting the Comfrey is that aesthetically it keeps the bedding area clean and fresh. It  also saves nearby plants from being smothered and choked out because the Comfrey stems become too heavy and fall on top of them.

Standing Comfrey refers to upright stems that have not drooped or fallen. Drooping or fallen Comfrey is not used for collection. Although Standing Comfrey is typically very clean, each leaf is visually checked during harvesting. Before bundling, each stem is inspected again and gently rinsed, then several are tied into a small bundle. In an effort to provide raw craft material that is as free as possible from visible insects, loose soil, and natural debris, each bundle is given a final rinse and a shake. The bundles are then taken to the greenhouse, where they hang until fully dry and crispy. Complete dehydration is essential, as even the slightest amount of moisture can cause mold and spoilage. *** The finished Comfrey is prepared exclusively for craft and art use; it is neither processed as food nor intended for human or animal consumption.

DRYING THE COMFREY

EXAMINING DRYING METHODS & SHADES PRODUCED 

Dried Naturally By Mother Nature

Drying in the field while the stem is still on the live plant is a very natural way of letting Comfrey dry. However the stems on the live plant take a very long time to fully dry. Stems and leaves take on an old brown, a ghostly gray or a tired black color. This method is great for gardening to enrich the soil, but not for craft and art purposes. 

Individual Flat Drying

For consistent green, flat leaves, the leaves must be dried by laying each individual leaf out flat in a dry environment until it finishes drying.  They cannot be overlapped. This technique is efficient when there is a small quantity to be dried. It is very good for individuals who are processing and storing their Comfrey for personal use. This drying method is usually done indoors on a flat surface. It may be done outdoors if weather is agreeable for a long enough period. Mountain Fables processes such a large volume that this method would not be practical.

Dehydrating Equipment

Using a dehydrator is another option for drying small quantities of fresh, “green” material. While it can be used for larger volumes, the equipment, space, electricity, and labor required make it costly. For this reason, dehydration is not suitable for the Mountain Fables drying process.

Hang Drying

Hang drying is a traditional, method used to preserve plantae for storage or display. The plants are tied in small bundles by their stems and hung upside down to dehydrate. For Mountain Fables, hang drying Comfrey is a more efficient and cost-effective drying method. This traditional approach preserves the plant’s natural compound profile while allowing it to dry in a timely manner.

Hang drying also  respects the environment by reducing energy consumption, as it eliminates the need for electricity. No electricity, no bulky dehydration equipment, no extra space required to house the equipment and no additional manpower to operate it. By using the hang-drying method production costs are dramatically reduced, while remaining environmentally friendly and preserving product quality. The result? The savings are passed directly on to you through generous packaging sizes.

Environmental Responsibility and Customer Satisfaction - Values that Mountain Fables stands by!

MOUNTAIN FABLES GREENHOUSE SHADES

At Mountain Fables the Comfrey is hung to dry naturally in a greenhouse. Tones often vary in shades and intensity. Depending on drying conditions the coloring may range from: deep brown, muted shades of a lighter brown, a brownish or yellowish green,  to a more pure army-olive green.

Each harvest presents its own color palette. Even within the same harvest there is color variation. Each bunch of leaves usually produces its own varying array of color.

(2) Mountain Fables Greenhouse Dried color ranges.

THE FINAL STEP

INSIDE THE PACKAGE

Packaging is the final step in delivering our Dried Craft Comfrey to you. Once the Comfrey leaves and upper stems have dried, they are "rough cut", by hand into uneven pieces, and packaged.  The Comfrey is very dry and some leaves may crumble when packed. The crumbled leaf will settle at the bottom of the packaging, creating a small amount of useable leaf crumble and powder. 

RAW, UNREFINED, CRAFT PLANTAE: USES