Maybe that’s the best part of going away for a vacation- coming home again.

Madeleine L’Engle

We don’t have many trips planned this summer. We actually only have one kind of planned, as in we say we are going, but we haven’t finalized anything yet. I’ll be completely honest, the thought of leaving always gives me anxiety. There is a lot to do here. None of it is difficult, but it’s just a lot to let go of control over, and it involves living creatures.

I’m not one of those people who craves wild adventures. We live in a beautiful place, and we can take a short drive and be at the ocean or the mountains for the day. Blessed is so cliché but also so true of the life we are creating here, however that doesn’t mean that I never want to go on a little weekend getaway. I feel like over the years we have streamlined our process and made leaving a bit easier, even if it is still hard for me to release my hold over the homestead. Here are some of my thoughts and tips on having a successful, low stress vacation away from the homestead.

Finding the Right Person

The most important thing in the whole world to me when I am gone is that my animals are cared for. I want all of my things cared for, but my animals are living feeling beings, and making sure that whoever I have hired is capable of the tasks is my biggest priority. That being said, I am extremely lucky to live walking distance from both my mom and my brother. Between the two of them, I can usually assure that my animals will be taken care of when we go out of town. Not everyone has that luxury, so what do you do if that isn’t an option for you?

You first need to look at the scope of what you are asking someone to sign up for. How many animals do you have? What type of animals do you have? Will you be expecting gardens watered and harvested? How long will you be gone? For us, we have dogs, chickens, a couple gold fish, and horses. We don’t own a milk animal (yet…) and as of today our horses are out on grass, which means they require minimal care. If I were to leave I would need someone somewhat horse savvy, someone able to feed and water my hens as well as collect eggs, and someone who is comfortable with my dogs. It would be a huge bonus if my person could water my garden daily and harvest any produce that was ready to be harvested.

Where do you find such a person? Through referrals, which means you need to start looking long before you plan on taking a trip. A good farm sitter is hard to find, and you will want to find someone who has been hired by people that you know and trust. Please don’t hire someone from social media that you have never met, or who doesn’t come with a list of referrals.

Prep Ahead

Be prepared. I don’t mean for your trip, I mean to relinquish control. To set your farm sitter up for success and help them maintain your homestead while you are gone, you need to do as much as possible before you go.

• Make sure all of the water troughs are cleaned and filled to the top
• If you have hay bunks and can free choice feed your larger livestock animals, fill the bunks to the top
• Get a good water on your garden and harvest what you are able to harvest
• Clean your chicken coops and livestock pens and lay down fresh bedding

Automation

Automation is key! Anything that can be automated around our homestead either is already automated or will be very soon. We have an automatic coop door that allows our hens out each morning and locks them in in the evenings, large waters and feeders for them, and we have floats on our water tanks that keep the waters full for the horses. Automation is going to make life easier for whoever you decide on hiring, as well as you when you return from your vacation!

If you have livestock that require special care, such as my 28 year old mare who needs senior grain and supplements, pre-mix those things if possible. If you are pre-mixing grain, write the instructions and animals name right on the Ziplock you place it in!

It is very important to note that just because you set up automation on any part of your homestead, doesn’t mean you can forget about it. My chicken coop is under some trees and our door is solar powered. We also live in the typically overcast Pacific Northwest, so I have found my hens locked out in the evenings because the door closed early. Always check on your automated systems regularly.

In Case of Emergency

Nobody wants to think about emergencies, especially when we are away. It would be devastating to know that you are too far away to help, and knowing that something is going wrong. The sad truth is, it could happen. It definitely could happen.

Knowing that it is something that is possible has led me to have a list of phone numbers posted at my home, as well as texted to anyone who will be in charge of my homestead while we are away. These numbers need to include your veterinarian with both office and after hours numbers, your farrier if you have horses (to pull a shoe that got stuck in a fence, etc.) you and your spouse’s numbers and where you will be, as well as anyone you trust who maybe couldn’t do the job but is close enough to help should an emergency come up.

Going on vacation while trying to homestead and have animals is possible. It’s also necessary for our sanity! As long as you are prepared and hire trustworthy people to fill in while you are gone, you can go and enjoy your family, put your feet up, and dream up your next project to start when you get home…

~Tara