The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[LindaB220]

Did anyone ever think that maybe poison ivy IS nature's way of over compensating for man's encroachment? Man ruins the earth, earth ruins man. Man poisons the earth, earth poisons man. Ironic?

I don't have this scourge where I live but have total sympathy for you Leahs Mom. I have no answer.

Wish I did.

Payback from Mother Nature.

 

[LindaB220]

I know this is going to sound crazy and I'm not recommending it but my dad, brother, sister and I eat a small bite of 'poison' plant as soon as we can find it, regardless of type, oak, ivy ...whatever. None of us are bothered by it all season.

I started doing this when I was a very young boy and that's a good thing because it someone suggested I do something like that at my current age and level of knowledge, I'd laugh in their face.

My sister was badly disabled due to a car crash a few years back and she really loves to get out into her garden in Old Louisville throughout the summer. The place is covered with 'poison' and if she were forced to stay inside, her life would be not worth living. (That's pretty much a direct quote from her).

Turk

Turk, I'd really have to think about that for a while. I'm so allergic that I look at it and get it. Not discounting it, just afraid.

Edited: Jeez, I couldn't stand it so I googled it and found this:

http://www.backpacker.com/community/ask_buck/96

 

[PlaidBattleAxe]

I know this is going to sound crazy and I'm not recommending it but my dad, brother, sister and I eat a small bite of 'poison' plant as soon as we can find it, regardless of type, oak, ivy ...whatever. None of us are bothered by it all season.

I started doing this when I was a very young boy and that's a good thing because it someone suggested I do something like that at my current age and level of knowledge, I'd laugh in their face.

My sister was badly disabled due to a car crash a few years back and she really loves to get out into her garden in Old Louisville throughout the summer. The place is covered with 'poison' and if she were forced to stay inside, her life would be not worth living. (That's pretty much a direct quote from her).

Turk

I think it must be like when people are exposed to small doses of other poisons they can build up a resistance/tolerance without getting much if any of a reaction and the three of you are the better off because of it. I've been tromping through poison ivy since I was a little girl, and I've never had a reaction and I've always thought it was because I've exposed myself unintentionally to it pretty much all the time outside so my body is used to it. (Probably just jinxed myself)

 

[Leahs Mom]

Salt is a chemical. Salting the earth is poisoning the soil. It will kill trees. I can't believe anyone would seriously consider doing that and post about it on a natural chicken keeping thread.

I guess I better clarify what I meant!

Yes - salting a huge area would not be good. But what I am talking about is a very judicial salting exactly on the cut/open roots. Just enough to take the life out of the roots and dry them up. The idea is that the roots take up the salt or whatever is used and it stays pretty isolated to the roots...not the whole ground!

I like Janet's idea of specifically targeting the big vines. If I have an area like that I'll do what she said - cut the vine then put a judicious amount of poison - either salt or white vinegar or the like - right onto the cut and let it dry up before removing it from a tree or ground.

While that's in process of drying out, I'll dig out the plants that have greenary w/roots and dispose of them.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:

There is a homeopathic item - Rhus Tox 30 - that is used to accomplish what you're talking about. It's one of those that you let melt under the tongue. Recommended by more "natural" minded doctors.

 

[lalaland]

I guess I better clarify what I meant!

Yes - salting a huge area would not be good. But what I am talking about is a very judicial salting exactly on the cut/open roots. Just enough to take the life out of the roots and dry them up. The idea is that the roots take up the salt or whatever is used and it stays pretty isolated to the roots...not the whole ground!

I like Janet's idea of specifically targeting the big vines. If I have an area like that I'll do what she said - cut the vine then put a judicious amount of poison - either salt or white vinegar or the like - right onto the cut and let it dry up before removing it from a tree or ground.

While that's in process of drying out, I'll dig out the plants that have greenary w/roots and dispose of them.

I was wondering!!!! I figured I just didn't know what you meant by salting the earth.

Here, poison ivy isn't ivy - not a vine, but a pain never the less. So far, I've never had a reaction but I know so many folks who said that was true for them until, one day.....

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
Please see my clarification above.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Here, poison ivy isn't ivy - not a vine, but a pain never the less. So far, I've never had a reaction but I know so many folks who said that was true for them until, one day.....

I haven't had a reaction in all my years - and that's a lot!

But I have been exposed daily this year over and over every day. Never gave PI a thought before because I haven't reacted at all. I had read that after being exposed repeatedly you can get it. I had originally thought that meant over the years. But then it occurred to me that daily exposure was probably more what they meant.

This is the first time in my life that I've ever been exposed daily. And it's only because the chickens are running through it and I'm out w/them every day either gathering eggs or what-have-you.

I'm surprised that I haven't had a reaction earlier this summer. It has been a lot of daily exposure this year.

 

[lazy gardener]

If i get so much as a spot of poison ivy on me, it will last at least 6 weeks, and OH THE BURN!!! I have it in the woods all around the cleared land in my yard, and it is all along both sides of the road, vining out onto the road. Chickens traipse through it with impunity. They've actually dug out a lot of the roots around my mail box. If, and when I get some of the land cleared, my plan will be to do spot applications of warm vinegar with liquid Dawn as a surfactant. And, yes, vinegar is caustic as well, altering an already acid environment. The year before i got chickens, i did an assault with round up, and it knocked it back, a bit in some areas, but not enough to have any kind of lasting effect. Goats???? I'd love to rent a few for a summer!

 

[LindaB220]

I think it must be like when people are exposed to small doses of other poisons they can build up a resistance/tolerance without getting much if any of a reaction and the three of you are the better off because of it. I've been tromping through poison ivy since I was a little girl, and I've never had a reaction and I've always thought it was because I've exposed myself unintentionally to it pretty much all the time outside so my body is used to it. (Probably just jinxed myself)

Exactly, my mama could pull it up and never break out. I could walk by and be down for days. Same with mosquito's

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