Walking around backyard barefoot? (pool, between, green, Florida)

[ClubMike]

Walking barefoot on the ground allows you to connect with mother earth. It helps keep everything in sync. It allows for the free flow of energy to pass thru your body energizing you. That is why you have such fond memories as a child running thru the grass.

So kick off your shoes, tear off your socks and run, run or at least walk thru the grass and feel the earth underneath. It will make you feel wonderful.

Besides why don't you think dogs run barefoot? The dogs know.............

[Coldjensens]

Yes. By the second month our feet are so tough it is not likely a tick would get through them. We have a gravel driveway so your have to get your feet toughened up quickly.

However in the warm months most of the time, if I am not wearing a suit, I am barefoot.

[Ralph_Kirk]

Back around 1963, after my mother had bought me a set of World Book encyclopedia, I read the article on hookworms, said "Eff that!" and never walked barefoot outdoors again.

And this has recently come out about how hookworms gave the entire South a reputation for feeble-mindedness:

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/articl...th-a-bad-name/

[animalcrazy]

I walk around barefoot all the time, but only on the side walks and decks. There are pine needles every where and wood chips are not fun to walk on. Neither is mud. I have no grass in my yard.

[pikabike]

Originally Posted by Ralph_Kirk

Back around 1963, after my mother had bought me a set of World Book encyclopedia, I read the article on hookworms, said "Eff that!" and never walked barefoot outdoors again.

And this has recently come out about how hookworms gave the entire South a reputation for feeble-mindedness:

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/articl...th-a-bad-name/

Even worse is the guinea worm, found in some parts of Africa.

[AliefNorth]

Originally Posted by MemoryMaker

Does anybody do this?

If so then do you worry about ticks and other bugs? Do you take measures to keep them out of your backyard?

I ask b/c I'm renting now and I'm debating about buying a house vs condo. One of the things that I've kinda dreamed about was having a house with a nice little backyard and walking around barefoot. There's just something that feels so liberating about that and I've rarely ever had that opportunity.

Unless someone has been spraying roundup or using other types of chemicals in the backyard you would be greatly exposing yourself. I wouldn’t even take the chance FWIW

[gentlearts]

I go barefoot a lot. Here, the only thing to watch out for are fire ants. We treat the lawn for them, and new hills are clearly visible, so not a big deal.

[Parnassia]

Originally Posted by AliefNorth

Unless someone has been spraying roundup or using other types of chemicals in the backyard you would be greatly exposing yourself. I wouldn’t even take the chance FWIW

The more you attempt to repel or kill backyard bugs, the more you expose yourself to chemicals. You won't get rid of all of them but managing your landscape can go a long way. Guess the world is a horrible dangerous place no matter what you do! You can decide to creep around in fear or you can educate yourself about relative risk, accept it, and go on with your life.

[turf3]

Originally Posted by Ralph_Kirk

Back around 1963, after my mother had bought me a set of World Book encyclopedia, I read the article on hookworms, said "Eff that!" and never walked barefoot outdoors again.

And this has recently come out about how hookworms gave the entire South a reputation for feeble-mindedness:

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/articl...th-a-bad-name/

Unless you regularly have humans defecating in your yard, you won't get hookworms from walking barefoot in the usual suburban lawn.


You might step on something you don't like:


Grass burrs
Broken glass
thorns
Sharp rock
Dog or cat poo (or other animal)
Yellow jackets (they often nest in a hole in the ground).


And so on. The dog or cat poo washes off. All the rest I would prefer to avoid. But it's all pretty minor stuff, really.

[rodentraiser]

The only time I wear shoes is when I'm required to (by law). Otherwise if I'm home, I'm barefoot year round. The only time I got stung by something was when a wasp was crawling on my bed and I stretched out my leg and put my foot right on it.

I think a lot of it depends on where you live though. I grew up in the safe suburbs when I was a kid and I've been out on the West Coast for most of my life. Aside from rattlesnakes in California, there's not much else out here on the ground to hurt anyone.