I was doing some rearranging around the main compost pile a couple
days ago and spied several young comfrey plants. Rather than let them
become buried or bereft of sunlight or toss them onto the compost pile
I instead transplanted them. As in the past I put them on the outside
of the chicken pen fence, far enough away that hens can't peck the
main stalk but can eat the growing leaves. Like cows stretching their
necks through a fence to get the better grass, chickens love the
stuff, so make sure the root is well out of their reach.
The deep roots of comfrey pull up nutrients. The leaf is high in the
three basic nutrients and also micronutrients. Not well known is that
comfrey is an excellent compost pile stimulant. Comfrey is good for
hens and good for us, not just as a medicinal herb, which is perhaps
its most famous use. When I raise rabbits one day I will feed it to
them also. Some gardeners use it as fertilizer but I haven't done
that. Mostly I let the chickens feed on it and occasionally throw some
of the leaves into the compost. I think of the plant as a part of my
permaculture scheme.
Comfrey’s botanical name is Symphytum officinale. It is a member of
the Boraginaceae family as are Borage and Forget-me-not.
[Homestead] Comfrey, in praise of,
Gene GeRue, 05/02/2008