Follow these tips on how to find help so you can vacation with a farm!

The first thing I tell folks when they are considering starting a homestead is, be prepared to be home….a lot.

That is the truth of it right there.

Whether you have just a few animals on your homestead or full-time farming operation, leaving for trips or getaways is not easy. Once you add living and breathing creatures to your homestead, ones that depend on you specifically for their care, it is critical that you are there to do just that.

Every ….Single….Day.

Look at me for example.

I have been homesteading for just about 9 years now and in the beginning, I went nowhere. My days and nights were scheduled by feedings and milkings and that kept my travel options pretty limited.

Even family gatherings were set by my feeding schedule. And when you milk animals it is even more necessary that your barn schedule is strictly adhered to.

Since my family has a history of farming in its genes I was ready and prepared for this. Unfortunately, not everyone that begins a homestead fully grasps the reality that comes with it. And before they know it they realize they are tied to their homes in a way they were not prepared for. And (sometimes) just like that, the fun is taken out of their new life of farming.

But luckily, it doesn’t have to be that way. All or nothing.

You can borrow or even hire help to take care of things when you need a break or want to get away for an afternoon or evening.

Dependable, reliable, good solid help that will allow you to catch your breath and recharge your batteries just a bit. Homesteading can be a bit demanding and even though most realize it will be hard, the rewards far outweigh the work and that is why we all do this. Day in and day out with a smile on our faces.

Yet, a break to get away sure would be nice.

So, just how do we do it? How do we vacation when we farm?

First, before we even get to the hiring part, you will need to do a little prep work. Go through and make sure all of your animal housing is secure and safe. This will not only keep your animals inside but it will also keep any bad things out. I am not just talking about big animals like raccoons and weasels but also small rodents that can get in and wreak havoc on your feed, eggs, even your livestock.

Each month on our homestead I like to do an outbuilding walkthrough. This is my chance to check for any openings that may allow something to get in. I can then put it on my Hubby’s list to have it taken care of quickly before it becomes an issue.

By always being on top of your buildings you will keep pests out making it easier for a stranger to step in when needed.

I have a great post that will walk you through what you can to do ensure an existing building is solid and safe for your hens or other animals.

HOW TO KEEP YOUR CHICKENS SAFE FROM PREDATORS

When building a new shelter or adapting an existing one always look at it from every angle. Get down low, look up high and really get in close. You might just be surprised at what a weasel can squeeze through if it’s determined, so don’t overlook the small spaces and cracks.

Another area to be wary of when building is the chicken’s run. Not many chicken owners worry too much about the run, but that can be a huge mistake. A chicken run is not just there to keep your chickens in, but it is also there to keep predators out. Build it so it is effective depending on where you live and the animals that frequent in your area.

For us, hawks are a huge issue and for that reason, we have a small roof that is on the side of our shed to give a bit of overhead protection. This will allow our hens to be out yet covered and masked a bit from the sky.

HOW TO BUILD A SIMPLE CHICKEN RUN

Hiring Regular Help for Your Homestead- How to Vacation When Farm

If you are looking for a regular break each week then you may want to look into hiring regular help for your homestead. This is not only great for you but a great way to help someone out that is looking to make a little extra money.

Step # 1. Know just what you are looking for.

Is this going to be regular help or seasonal?
Will you need someone each week or only when you travel?
Will you pay your help or barter?

By knowing just what you need before you go looking for it you will be better prepared to make a decision. When I first started with animals on our homestead I loved the work. But after 9 years I now like to have a break too. For that reason, I have a neighbor Farm Gal that comes to our home a few days a week and takes care of the chores.

This was probably the best decision I ever made. This allows me to sit back and relax a bit without having to work all the time.

I can go out to eat, sleep in, or just read a book out on the porch. Either way, this break during the week is something that has helped me grow as a farmer. To add new projects and experiment with new animals.

Step #2. How often do you need help?

Like I said above I love having weekly help but it didn’t start out that way. We began with just a day and worked up to a more routine schedule.

You can start out with just 1-2 evenings a week or just a few days here and there when you need to go out of town. As you and your animals become comfortable with your help you can increase the frequency.

Another option is to know how often you need help each week but leave open the possibility of more time if needed. By starting out small you can see if the helper will fit in with not only your animals but with you as well.

Personality is key and before you have your new help work every single day it is better to be sure things are a good match before committing.

Step #3. Be specific in what you need and how you will compensate.

Tell them from the beginning just what you need them to do and how often you need them to do it. The more specific you are from day one the less room there is for a misunderstanding of any kind.

Go one step further and write it all down. This simple gesture will make things clear from the very beginning. This doesn’t mean you can’t change things later on, however.

Step #4. Train them…..well.

Hands-on training is the key to keeping you and your animals comfortable with outside help. I had my girl watch me do chores a few times before she jumped in. Seeing not only what you do but HOW you do it is really important. Animals thrive on routine and any changes, even subtle ones can through them out of whack.

For this reason, you will want to take things slowly. Have them watch a few times, then do chores with you a few times, watch them do chores a few times and finally allow them to do chores without you there. This may seem like overkill but trust me on this, the more you train the fewer issues you will have later on.

Ninja Tip: Make a video walkthrough on your phone. If you need your spouse or child to step in for just one quick feeding do a video of exactly how you do things on your phone and send it to them. That way they can refer to your video walkthrough as they are doing chores. This really is quite helpful for both your help and your animals.

Step #5. Have a “Chore Board”.

We are pretty old school on our farm and rely on a dry erase board to keep our animal’s routines in place. Our help knows to always look their first to be sure there are no changes in feed, housing, or routines.

You can set up a chart by the animal by using a large board like this one. Just hang it out in your barn or animal’s shelter so it is easy to see and use.

Step #6. Expect an adjustment period.

As with anything new, there is always going to be a period of adjustment. Nowhere is this truer than with our animals. My goats will act timid when my Hubby is out in the barn at chore time. This is because he is not usually out there when I feed. Anything different, new or out of the ordinary is going to make any animals stop and take notice.

Give your help a few weeks to settle in before critiquing how things are working out. This should be enough time for them, you and your animals to adjust to the new set of hands.

Step #7. To pay or not to pay.

This part is definitely something you will need to iron out before getting started. Let your help know what days you need, how long it should take them and how you will compensate them for their help. Meaning if you are going to pay by the hour or by the day.

You will also want to discuss holidays and how they will work. Splitting them up is a great way to keep things fair with your regular help.

Borrow Help for Your Homestead – How to Vacation When You Farm

If you just want help for travel then borrowing help may be the best way to go. This is a common way for farmers to vacation and a great way to homestead without being permanently ti3d to your home year-round.

Step #1. Look for someone you trust.

Before I acquired regular help on our homestead I would always turn to a family member, namely one of my kids. But before they were old enough to take care of things while we were away, I asked a close neighbor who also had a small farm.

This is important to remember when looking for someone you can rely on. If they have a homestead of their own then you know they fully understand what you need from them. Meaning you can trust them.

By trust, I am not just talking about their responsibility level but their experience level as well. If you have a garden that needs to be watered while you are away, then you may want to ask someone that has a garden as well. This way you know they understand the importance of daily watering whereas someone with no gardening experience may not.

If you have a small flock of chickens that need to be looked after then ask a neighbor or friend that has animals themselves. Again, the reason here is to lean on their experience in knowing the importance of being on time when caring for living and breathing things.

Step #2. Pare down the to-do list.

Remember you are getting free help here so maybe leave “Clean out the horse stalls daily” off of the to-do list. I would instead stick to the basics.

Clean water, fresh food and hay, and of course the animal’s safety. What I mean by that is, be sure to tell your temporary help to give fresh clean water every single day. If the water bucket is full, dump and refill it. Fresh water is super important and the easiest way to keep your animals healthy.

Next up is food. Be sure to be incredibly specific on what is to be fed, to whom, and when. Lable feed bowls, post instructions where the feed is kept, be specific on times and so on. The more specific you are the easier it will be for your helper.

If you have animals that eat hay, be sure to instruct how much and how often here as well.

Finally, let’s talk about safety.

If your animals are free to roam during the day yet need to be locked up at night tell your help why you do this. When they understand it is for safety reasons they will also understand the risks if they forget to do this. Explain if you have hawks, coons, coyotes, etc. Those nocturnal predators that can destroy a flock of hens in one night if they are left out in the open.

The final word here is to keep the daily list simple and straightforward so as not to overwhelm your help.

Step #3. Be specific in what you need.

Like I mentioned above, be as specific as you can when explaining what needs to be done so you can vacation when you farm. Tell your volunteer WHY you do what you do.

When they know why they will understand the importance of what you do and they will be less likely to skip over a chore.

Step #4. How to say thank you.

I know this might sound silly but knowing how you plan to thank your volunteer is good to have in the back of your mind. Will you buy them a souvenir? Reciprocate the help for an upcoming trip they will be taking? Maybe you will have them to dinner after you return.

Ninja Tip: If you need help watching over your chickens why not give your help all the eggs they collect as a thank you? This is a great way to pay your help and giving them one of the joys of homesteading as a thank you.

Whatever you decide, be sure to do something so they know just how much you appreciate them. This will make it easier to ask them again in the future and easier for them to say yes!

Luckily the reality of homesteading does not have to be all or nothing. We can have our farm fresh eggs and eat them too!

If you love to travel and want the best of both worlds, then preparing things as you set up your homestead is a good idea. Ask for help and be clear on what you need and when so you and your animals will both be just fine while you are away.