Trips -- Get a Farm-sitter?

[Peacock]

Add this to the long list of edayna's dumb newbie questions. When you have animals to take care of, how do you go on trips?

I alluded to this a while back and people said something like "you don't." Or, "your property is your vacation destination." As much as I want a homestead-lite lifestyle, the idea of never being able to pack up and go on a week's vacation during the summer is something I can't accept. I mean, we're not exactly world travelers here -- I'm talking one week at the beach in NC, a four-day jaunt to Gatlinburg, a weekend at a KY campground.

The dogs, that's easy -- boarding at the vet's kennel is fairly cheap even for 2. The cats are fine with a bunch of food and water for 3-4 days, require one visit from a friend to fill bowls and scoop litter if we'll be gone a week. But we've been talking about getting chickens and goats -- nothing huge, just maybe 4-5 chickens, 2-3 goats MAX.

We have a good neighbor who *might* be persuaded to come and feed, water, and watch over them if it isn't too complicated. He's offered to do that for the dogs, but we haven't accepted, not wanting to be a burden -- of course if it were dogs/goats/etc. we'd pay him! Or would pay his 12 year old granddaughter. Don't know how trustworthy they are, yet, though.

I was also thinking maybe I could get in touch with the 4H office and put out the word that I needed an occasional "sitter."

We're rural enough here that people do own livestock close by -- several properties with horses on our road, one with llamas right around the corner, another with a flock of sheep and we can hear roosters crow all day. But the area does have a rather suburban feel too, so that I am not sure how the people on either side would feel about our extended menagerie -- who cares, as long as it's zoned and properly managed...just thinking in terms of what happens when we're gone.) Therefore most of the people we've gotten to know in town are subdivision folks who might have seen goats once or twice at a petting zoo and think eggs grow on eggplants.

Right now that's the major thing holding us back. I really want fresh eggs, cute goaties and a source of manure. I don't have much experience with them but we all have to start somewhere, they sure don't scare me and I learn right quick.

[Tiffin]

We bought our 160 acre farm two years ago and pretty much said this is it. No more traveling if we wanted animals. We have not been on an overnight since then. I don't know anyone around here who would be trustworthy feeding, cleaning and watering our cows and chickens. I would worry the whole time. Before farming we traveled extensively so maybe we got it out of our system. In fact we use the animals as an excuse to go home or not go somewhere we don't care to go. Ha!

[sidepasser]

Well I have 4 horses, chickens, geese, two cats and two dogs and a g. pigger and I hire a farm sitter while I go places. I need a recharge occasionally so will go on vacation for 3 or 4 days and when I come back, I see things in a better way.

Farming or raising stock can leave one burnt out if you feel you can never get away. Get excellent references, leave a cell phone number, call and check in, leave the vet and farrier's number and PAY them promptly when you return.

I pay 30.00 per day for about 2 hours worth of work, make everything almost automatic such as lots of hay in the feeders, dog and cat food in the auto feeders, chicken feed in auto feeders, full waterers when I leave for everything. Usually my sitter only has to "top off" the water, give grain to the horses and maybe add some additional hay. Easy way for her to make extra money and my place gets checked on twice a day.

[Danaus29]

Mom has friends come over to feed and water her critters (penned poultry and 2 dogs). I have a neighbor let my ducks in and out of the coop plus feed and water ducks and rabbits. I "pay" my neighbor (12 year old boy) in eggs and raw cider. Sometimes I'll bring him some souveniers from places we've been. As long as you can rest assured your sitter is caring for your animals properly there is no reason you can't travel. Just make sure you keep in contact with your sitter and make sure they know how to get hold of you in an emergency.

[travlnusa]

We have cattle, chickens, dogs, cats, and in the spring, hogs.

We will go on vacation except when we have the hogs. This is because they will empty their feeder to soon.

We put the dogs in a kennel we build in the barn with lots of water and food. We handle the cats as you suggest.

For the chickens, we will put in an extra waterer and our feeder will hold a weeks worth of food.

The cattle get large round bales, and will put out as many as our trip will call for.

We also have automatic waterers in two water tanks. We use two in case one fails.

With all that, I have the neighbor come over every other day. Not to do any work, but to make sure all is well, and all critters are home.

If there is an issue, he will call my cell phone. Based on what the problem is, I will either come home, ask him to "fix it", or call another neighbor I have pre-arranged with come over and deal with whatever it may be.

[Donna from Mo]

Back when I milked cows and raised bobby calves, I learned that it's next to impossible to get anyone to milk for you. Very few people know how, and the few who can milk, don't want to. We didn't go anywhere back then unless the cows were dry. Chickens are easy, and horses and beef cattle need only to be looked at every couple of days... just to make sure they're present and accounted for.

[vicker]

When we first got chickens, we went down to SC for a long weekend and had the neighbor open and close the coop for a couple of days. We were surprised to find that some roosters really don't like strangers
Our rooster at the time was named Pantalonious. He always seemed nice and gentlemanly, but after testimonies from several victims, we found that he was very agressive (and persistant) when we were not home.

[Donna from Mo]

Some people have watchdogs; you had a watch-chicken!

[minnikin1]

In our small community, folks step up for one another. The usual arguments and spats that would have broken relationships in our former community, are quickly set aside here. No matter how crazy so and so's political ideas might be - if he's your only hope for a weekend getaway, you learn to let it go!

[DocM]

I travel every year, and my farm is in a recreation area. That doesn't mean I never want to go anywhere. During the spring and summer I attend several livestock shows that are a weekend to a week long. My oldest son comes by and does the chores, but we take a lot of the stock with us. During the fall, after the sheep and goats have been bred, the goats have been dried off, and before they start dropping kids and lambs, I take a longer vacation, often leaving the country. Yes, there are farm sitting services, but I usually hire older kids from my county 4H program. My son comes by a couple times to make sure all is well and my vet has authorization to treat the sick and wounded. Nothing bad has ever happened and I've been gone as long as 3 weeks.

[Peace n Quiet]

You mentioned contacting the 4H extension office for your area. Good idea! We found our farm sitter through 4H. He's a local teenager who lives like we do... with a variety of animals to care for. He also had a good reputation as a kid who worked hard. (meaning his parents did not raise his 4H project!!)

The last two years we only went for 4 days each time, just to test the water. This year, I'm confident that he can handle the 8 day trip we have planned.

Also, someone else mentioned keeping things easy and convenient - another very good suggestion. Double up on the normal feed supply. (you definately don't want to run out!!) Label EVERYTHING! I also used a dry erase board in my barn to write out instructions, as well as an instruction sheet typed out that we left on the kitchen table. Maybe a little overboard, but there was never any question about which animals needed what kind of care.

[AnnaS]

I have dairy goats, so I hire a relief milker. There are folks in dairy areas who just milk & farm-sit for dairy farmers' vacations. I pay cash (minimum $100) and leave a detailed list of instructions. Seems like a lot of money, but I've heard too many horror stories of farm-sitters cutting corners, not recognizing a sick animal, or not showing up at all.

Come to think of it, all my "vacations" from the farm but one have been to go to goat shows, goat breeders or goat conferences. Hmm.

[Tricky Grama]

We don't live on our land yet but are already thinking of this sort of problem. We are in TX & don't want to be here in the summer!

Countryside magazine used to have 'farm sitters' advertised. Folks who would come & live on your place while you're gone. They'd have to be 'bonded' & experienced, for sure.

Patty

[wr]

I have always found that it's best to find a neighbor that likes to get away once in a while and then make arrangements to do their chores when they go away and they do mine when I want to run away.

[sewsilly]

We have critters and go when we want to. We also have a home at the beach and get away for many long weekends and some full weeks. We once went to AZ for 15 days.

Sorta like having kids, you can let it take over, or you can be in charge.

For long weekends, we have feeders/waterers set up to keep things covered for 3 days or so, and a neighbor who walks the place once a day and checks on stuff. He gets to keep the eggs he gets and anything he picks in the garden.
We do the same for him, and that includes checking in on his elderly mother.

For weeks, or longer, we hire someone, AND have the neighbor do the walk through checks. Our best 'sitters' have been late teens, young adults with similar lives (as in don't hire a cheerleader with no animals) or my brother in law, who lives some 25 minutes drive away. He'll 'house sit' while he's here. My local vet office has a list of very capable animal sitters, as does the feed and seed store.

In 25 years no disasters have befallen while we were gone. Disasters however, HAVE befallen while we were home, so we know that it can happen.

Our place is well run, and comes with plenty of feed/vets on stand-by/charge set up at the feed and seed and easy access phone to us (for questions). Our animals are handled daily and easy to manage. I leave WRITTEN instructions and I usually call and check on things every other day or so, in the event of questions, etc.

And I pay extra if I've got 'extra' stuff to do, like baby chickens or an animal that needs meds.

You'll work it out, and you DON"T Have to give up all travel.
dawn

[forestdweller]

We have quite a few furry critters at our place as well, but still manage to do alot of travelling. My career also has me working away from home for several days up to a week at a time in the summer months (and so does dh's), so we had to figure out a plan of how to live the lifestyle we wanted, while still being able to have all of the animals we wanted.

Our neighbours do most of the farm sitting. We trade back and forth...we will watch theirs when they are away, and they watch ours when we are gone. When I feel it's getting lopsided or if they are watching our animals while we are working, we make sure that we pay them...I don't want them to feel like they are being taken advantage of and I don't mind putting up the money knowing that they are getting wonderful care while I'm gone.

I have never felt tied down by my animals.

[Jen H]

I can leave the critters for 2 nights with stuffed feeders and extra water buckets. For longer than that, I trade off chores with a neighbor who comes in twice a day. I have a charge set up with the vet and the feed store - numbers for both are out prominently along with my own contact numbers. I make sure there's enough hay piled up near the feeder, treats and the all important grain can are easy to find in case someone gets loose, and it's as easy and convenient as I can possibly make it.

[primal1]

I was an animal nanny for 8 years for two people/2 hobby farms. It was a parttime job but there was always enough work for me. Basically I looked after their farms and animals while they went on business trips.
I have heard other people doing this and making upwards of $20+ per hour or flat rates for longer periods.