FlockWorks

Poison Ivy

Only a true nature lover has the potential to like poison ivy and that's only because of the food that the plant provides in the fall for wildlife.

But most people REALLY don't want to have poison ivy on their property and it is even dangerous for some highly sensitive people to to be around it.

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Poison Ivy FAQ's

Goats can "win" against Poison Ivy!

The FlockWorks goats have had a lot of experience with poison ivy. Many people talk about how goats love poison ivy and that it's their favorite plant. It's certainly true that goats love PI, but it is difficult to tell which plant is a goats favorite. Their favorite of the moment is unusually the one that they haven't had recently. Goats love variety.

We can manage the goats a few different ways to tackle poison ivy. The most basic is to simply bring a herd of goats and let them eat what they will. Goats naturally only eat to within 4” to 6” off the ground level and they don’t commonly eat much of the vines. We can also do two-tiered goat grazing where when the first herd is done with the paddock and they become discontent, we bring/move in the second herd to take over and eat closer to the ground and more of the vines.

If you have a stand of poison ivy that you want to target and there is not much other vegetation variety mixed in, we may suggest that you let the area(s) adjacent to the PI grow up higher than normal and fence everything around it to give the goats some variety.

After goats have done their work and stripped the poison ivy of its leaves, we get to work on the vines and roots, pulling them up and possibly digging them out. This service is tailored to your needs and at your direction. A single, very complete pass after the goats is the most common. We often get bags and bags of vines that we take and dispose of! Also available are return trips, custom tailored to your needs and the conditions on your site.

Keep reading for PI tricks and tips.
Frequently Asked PI Questions here.

Poison Ivy Trick and Tips

Being updated....
Poison ivy is challenging for an estimated 50 - 85% of the population, but it is only an oil and it is entirely possible for most people to come in contact with it and not develop a rash.

The key is simply getting it ALL off of you quickly and effectively. Think when you have worked on a car, or other greasy machinery. You know how you wash and thinking it is all removed you look in the mirror and it is revealed that there is still some on the back of your forearm? PI oil (urushiol) is also in poison oak and poison sumac, but it is just an oil… It just so happens to be transparent, so it is difficult to tell when it is removed completely.

Wash! Wash with COLD water and a soap or detergent that breaks down oil. We really like to wash once with Dawn, a second time with Lava Soap and then a third time with regular soap and warm/hot water while aggressively rubbing with a rough washcloth. If we know we have a heavy coating (like, you are actually sticky with the oil) we usually use an alcohol wipe before the above procedure. The main trick is to wash EVERYWHERE that it could be. Did you scratch your neck when that fly was there? Have a tickle on your ear? Etc…

More to come.....

Mailing Address:

PO Box 207
Roxbury, PA 17251

Physical Address:
11777 Forge Hill Road
Orrstown, PA 17244

Contact:

Email: info@FlockWorks.us
Phone: (717) 417-8683
(You can also text us.)

Links:
Site Map (90+% Rebuilt)

Hire Goats (Goat Rental Directory: Find other Goat Rental Companies.)
GoatWorks (Learn to manage your own goats similarly.)
Historical FlockWorks Website

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Please send us your ideas, bug reports, suggestions! Any feedback would be appreciated.

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