Am I allergic to poison ivy? Yes!

One of the most frequent questions I get is whether I am allergic to poison ivy. Since that is the primary reason most people inquire about Goatscaping and since I spend the majority of my summer days in the midst of poison ivy, it's an excellent question.

This is my 4th season of Goatscaping and the 3rd one where I haven't really gotten poison ivy. Why is that? The biggest factor for me personally is gloves. My Dad clued me in on this secret weapon - fireplace gloves! In season 1, I would have a band of poison ivy rash on my wrists. Since I switched to fireplace gloves, no more poison ivy rash on my wrists.

Here is my complete protocol:

Fireplace gloves
Long sleeves and pants
Baseball cap
Never touch "haz mat" aka hazardous materials without gloves. This includes tools, goats, outfit.
Tecnu
Immediate disrobe and laundry / shower when you get home

I got cocky a few weeks ago. I thought maybe I have built up immunity to poison ivy. So I went and cleared some in my yard in shorts and a t-shirt. Not much. I was careful HA! I got the rash on one arm and one knee. It is humbling. I am back to my full protocol and rash-free, hopefully for the rest of the season.