Working nights and homesteading...

[steve-in-kville]

I started a thread like this over a year ago:

Does shift work interfere with your 'steading??

.... so now I've been on nights for almost a year and a half. It was rough at first but I adapted. We plan to move onto our new homestead by march or so. I will have a lot of work initially (gotta build some raised beds and some chicken hutches, etc).

I'd like to hear some new input on those who work nights, run a productive homestead and still manage to eat, sleep and keep sane. BTW- we have a large family, the oldest is 11 and they are well versed in the animal stuff and cane manage the day to day chores.

[-TWO-]

I worked nights (10 PM - 6 AM) Sunday night - friday morning for over 3 years. In the summer months I'd get off work & stay up & get the heavy stuff done in the cool of the morning then sleep during the hot part of the day. (Air conditioner in the bed room). Transitioning on the weekends was always weird for me. I'd stay up all day friday so I could sleep at night. By late Friday afternoon I'd feel like a zombie.

[wwubben]

I worked the graveyard shift for nine years.I would come home at seven in the morning and have breakfast and talk with my wife. I would then go out and do the chores.I would then sleep for about five hours.I would then eat dinner and go out and work on homestead projects until supper time.I would then sleep for two or three hours and get up and get ready to go to work.We had a lot of mandatory overtime on the week-ends so I slept during the day on weekends a lot also.We did not have any children at home yet then and that helped me get my rest.

[Farmerwilly2]

I like the 2nd shift myself. I get to work at the place every day till noon. If I worked 1st in the winter it would be dark when I left, dark when I got home. Now I can work 6 days a week every morning (church on Sundays) year round. Took a while to get used to it and the 2 hr. round trip commute and it's still hard on those nice spring or fall days to put my tools up to get ready for work. Summer time not as bad. I can work the garden early when it's cool and spend the hot part of the day at work in the ac.

[plowjockey]

I used to drive truck from 3pm to midnight or so. I'd get up around 9am and work on farm projects, until1 or2pm.

I got 10 times the stuff done then, than now, when I work days. I do see the family more, though.

[steve-in-kville]

Currently I work 4 days a week, 10 hours/day. I start at 11pm, quit anytime between 9:30 and 11am depending on how busy we are. I have a day off in the middle of the week (Tuesday night.)

Like I mentioned before the first few weeks were really rough.

[sammyd]

I work 6pm-6am 2 on 2 off every other fr-sun off. I love the schedule. there are days that it can be a drag but over all it fits quite well with getting stuff done. I can change my sleep time to suit whatever is going on. In summer I'll go to sleep as soon as I get home and wake up at 11 to rake or bale hay. Or I'll stay up, weed the garden and sleep in the afternoon.
The only problem is sometimes I find myself awake at 2 in the morning on my nights off.
I also like nights cuz there are less suits to deal with at work.