[Jacob-list] poison ivy

[linda]

I'm doing some new fencing through the woods.  I'm going to run the dinner boys there for 
awhile.  The woods are thick with poison ivy.  I have a pretty high tolerance for poison ivy 
and so far (knock on wood) I'm able to clear fence lines, weedeat, etc and not get it. Dave's 
another story - he gets it if he walks within three feet of it.  My question is, do you think 
the poison ivy oils will wash out of the fleeces? I had never really thought about it, but I 
do know Dave can get it off the dogs if they have been rolling in it.  It's possible that the 
lanolin in the wool would keep the oils from direct contact with wool and help to wash the 
oils out.  I've had the sheep in small patches of poison ivy before and handled the fleece, 
but as I don't get it anyway, I'm not sure if someone more sensitive might.  Dave refuses to 
do his bit for scientific study and handle a sheep that was just in the poison ivy.

Linda
www.PatchworkFibers.com
Registered Jacob Sheep