Plant identification of unfavorable specimens is not a strong suit for me. Show me your perennials, your vegetables, even your trees, and I’ll call forth the appropriate herald. But apparently I can’t see poison ivy when standing in the midst of it. After a month of battling the most atrocious leg 
and arm-wracking itches, I appear to be on the mend. However, a spider had its way with my right arm last night. A good chomper that one. Raised welts the size of quarters now dot my poor appendage. (Old standby Calamine lotion significantly helped reduce itching, after bathing the spots with soap and drying. That and an impressive amount of self-control.)
I’ll admit to more than just poor attention skills whilst in the field; eager for sun rays to kiss my skin, I’d entered into field and wood these last weeks with nothing but tanktop and shorts. This is a not acceptable, and thank you, yes, I appreciate the lesson. Can it end 
now?
More photos here of what’s happening. I’ve stacked the now dry hay in a barn stall, with a pallet underneath to provide some air down there. I plan to return in a month’s time (perhaps less?) and flip it over on itself. Snow peas are dropping rapidly from their little blossoms, and strawberries reddening. Last weeks’ rain made for not-so-sweet picks at local nurseries with more progressed berries than mine.
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Hi Lynea,
I hope you recognize the name (old friend of your Moms) although I haven’t been emailing I enjoy your site so much. Your mention of poison ivy really hit home. It seems that each year despite everything I try to do I end up with a really “savage” case of poison ivy. This year it ended up on my face!! This drove me to the doctor and a very unpleasant 10 days taking prednisone.(Spelling?) Anyway, I was wondering if you have ever heard of the following advice from a friend of mine who runs a tea shop. She suggested taking several teaspoons of locally “grown” honey every day before and during the PI season. The thinking is that this sort of vaccinates you against local PI. I am going to give it a try and wonder if you or any of your readers have ever heard of this remedy? Best wishes to you and your sister!
Josette
Poison ivy! My old nemesis! I can certainly sympathize with you having dealt with some horrible episodes in the past myself. My current approach, after the first line defense of “Leaves of three; let it be” has failed is to dry it out continuously. That is usually repeatedly applying alcohol or a Domeboro’s solution (recommended by a doc over 30 years ago)throughout the day. Having lots of allergies, I usually take a Benadryl at the onset and then fight to stay awake. Hopefully that will keep it from reaching the oozing stage. Haven’t been there in a while, but if so, I cover it with either gauze soaked in alcolhol/DB solution or use a product intended for another use but that effectively absorbs all the liquid. (Think baby’s diaper and go from there.)
Good luck!
Joanne
A little more info on the poison ivy and honey:
At farmers’ market today, I talked to the Honey people. I told them about the honey prevention for poison ivy (during PI season, eat several teaspoons of local honey daily). Their bees are only on organic farms, btw. They had never heard of the remedy, but anecdotally noted that since they began the beekeeping, they haven’t had any poison ivy at all, and they used to!
More fyi, they said that applying honey to the PI rash will help to dry it out. PI is only 17% water and will absorb the moisture from the PI. Also, because honey is low in moisture, fruit is sometimes dried in it!
Lastly, I told them that I have been using honey for years on a bandaid in place of antibiotic ointment (since honey is antibacterial). They said that there are bandaids in Europe with honey on the pad!
Hello Lynnea,
I am a friend of Claire Murray’s and I thought I’d share a couple of rash remedies. I use homeopathic remedies- either Sulphur and Rhus Tox. You take it before or shortly after the rash breaks out. 30x remedy always works for me. You can take it once a day or more if needed for a few days. Health food stores sell these.
Good luck,
Heather
Thanks for the note, I’ll try this all out. To get by this past bout (including swollen mitt-sized hands, etc), I ended up using Tecnu. I applied it before going outside, and then again before showering. It really sped up the drying out process and greatly limited the spread. Not necessarily satisfied with the product’s origins and would like to know more about what ingredients it contains.
okay, going to get this when I go shopping this week. So far I am at a draw with applying alcohol (via cotton balls) and dabbing on tecnu, each several times a day. Each seems to dry little spots up within 10 days. Sheer will power still required for the itching.
This season, Rhus Tox 30c wasn’t working as well, so I took Sulphur 30c. It started clearing up my poison ivy rashes quickly. For me, it really works.
Yes, willpower for the itching. I also find some relief in a chlorinated pool (although the chlorine isn’t good for you in other ways!)
Also, in time, you may find that you will be able to identify the invasives. I can now identify bittersweet and honeysuckle seedlings growing in the forest floor, whereas years ago, I wouldn’t have even been able to distinguish the mature plants from others. Re the vines, many are far more aggressive than natives- rather than gently coexisting with a tree, they overgrow and consume the tree.