Episode 34: Poison Ivy Remedies – and if they work


The show content today is near and dear to my heart. I don’t know why, but it seems like every year, no matter how careful I am, I get a bout of poison ivy. Mankind has had problems with poison ivy for a very long time. And that is why it is surprising that we only seem to know as much about it as we do the common cold.

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Eating Seasonally and Tales from the Prepper Pantry

This is where we share what we are eating as it comes to us – and talk about ways to use what we store.

  • Saladpalooza! Fresh lettuce from the garden (or my friend’s garden, radishes, carrot greens, pea shoots)
  • Dryads Saddle Mushroom
  • Goats milk, which means cheese season is here
  • EGGS

Getting the Gardens Ready
Where we share what we are doing to get our food growing operation up and running.

  • Progress report on the weed experiment

Garden Economics project

  • A store in Smithville is trying out my eggs
  • Plant sale announcement: tomatoes for sale in a joint project between Purple Maize Farm and the Holler Homestead – click here to order.

Poison Ivy Remedies

Remedy 1: Scrape it until it bleeds

Remedy 2: Jewel Weed Salve/ointment/juice

Remedy 3: Poke Weed Roots

  • Dig up the roots and smash them up than rub them into your outbreak. It will burn like the dickens, but then the poison ivy dries up.
  • Never tried this and forgot to give it a go this time – will try it if I get another poison ivy gift this year.

Remedy 4: Pramagel/ Calamine

  • Oatmeal + Baking soda, etc
  • The hot water scratch

Remedy 5: Technu and related products

  • ZanFel – (Mama Sauce says it is the only thing that ever worked for her)

Remedy 6: Hydrocortisone cream

  • Over the counter does not work
  • The prescription also does not work
  • But you know what works really really well? My prescription for chlobetasol.

Prevention

  • Get this friggin vine off your land
  • Wash every night with a good lye based soap with activated charcoal – this also helps with chiggers and other lovely Tennessee bugs
  • Don’t re-wear the same clothing
  • Think before you burn
  • Watch your animals

 

In sum – what works for me:

  1. Prevention
  2. The hot water scratch
  3. Pramagel (Pramaxin)
  4. Jewelweed salve plus Neosporin

Stories from the Holler

  • Rains and Bees
  • I fired a client this week and here is why

Support the show:

  1. Coffee
  2. Plants
  3. Patreon

Make it a great week!

Song: Calling My Name, Sauce