Homesteading and Vacationing
I’ve been asked many times how I can take vacations and still properly run a homestead. Especially from those in the beginning process of starting their own homestead. I get it, it seems impossible to leave the house for more than a day when you have plants and animals depending on you. If you are anything like me, you trust people with your animals about as much as you do with your kids, which leaves only a handful of people.
First things first, find a reliable house sitter/caretaker. This person obviously has to be someone trustworthy that you know will carefully follow your instructions. The point of a vacation is to relax and have fun, you can’t really do that if you’re constantly worried about what’s going on back home. This may be a difficult step for some, especially if you live far out in the country with no neighbors. If that’s the case I suggest getting acquainted with other homesteaders or farmers in your area. Which would be even more helpful to you because they almost certainly already know the basics of livestock care and gardening. I’m lucky enough to have several close friends in the area and my dad a stones throw away, but if I didn’t have this luxury I would do it this way. Make sure to return the favor (or offer to, at least) when it’s their turn to go on vacation.
Oftentimes I will offer fresh produce, goats milk, or fresh eggs on top of what I’m already paying them in exchange for their help. Most people won’t mind coming over to water your garden a few times a week, but it gets tricky when you have animals and livestock. I actually have a document I printed out that outlines all chores, what to feed the animals and when to feed them, emergency contacts, our vets number, emergency plans, etc. it’s very detailed but it comes in handy. Even if you don’t have a printout, it’s imperative that you at least provide all emergency contacts they might possibly need. If you take a lot of vacations or road trips like my family then it’s best if you use the same person when possible. They will get the hang of things eventually and you won’t have to go through the trouble of walking them through your instructions every time.. Have you ever heard someone say “don’t dine out, if you can’t afford to tip?” Likewise, don’t take a vacation if you can’t afford to pay a caretaker properly. Remember, they are caring for your livelihood while you are away, treat them accordingly.
Homestead fatigue is real. I get burned out sometimes. I wake up at dawn when the roosters are sounding their loud ass alarms and sometimes I feel like I don’t want to get out of bed. But if we don’t take care of these animals that we chose to take responsibility for, who will? The endless amount of chores just seems never ending. Don’t get me wrong, I live for all of this. It’s honestly a dream come true for me, but cleaning up after chickens and goats and mowing a few acres worth of land several times a week isn’t necessarily the most delightful part of it all. I even tried returning to work, not because of the money aspect but just to get a break occasionally but that was short lived, working from home is definitely the better option. So to keep from getting burned out we take trips often. Even just day trips really makes a difference. So if you run a farm or homestead I encourage you to get away occasionally when you can. You will come back feeling refreshed and ready to take on all the challenges homestead life has to offer. As a matter of fact, there were several trips that got cut short because I was homesick and ready to go home and get back to work after a few shorts days. Don’t ever let anyone tell you this lifestyle isn’t addictive.
I saved my least favorite part for last. Preparation. Even if it’s a two day trip I still have to prepare and make sure everything is in order. Chicken coops need to be cleaned extra good and same with the goat pens. Unless I’m gone for more than 2 weeks (even longer if it’s during winter or fall). Cleaning up after my animals isn’t typically a chore I leave for caretakers. Timing is everything. Its better to take longer trips when things are so hectic on the homestead. It’s a lot harder to travel during the Spring, lots of planting to be done, animals being born, hens are laying more, and so on. So my longer trips are usually reserved for fall and winter. I homeschool and my husband and I own our own business so scheduling conflicts with work and school aren’t usually a problem for us but it’s something others should also take into consideration when planning.
As you can see it’s not impossible to vacation while homesteading, it just involves more planning and more preparation. Remember the more planning you do beforehand the better you will be able to relax and enjoy yourself on vacation!
First things first, find a reliable house sitter/caretaker. This person obviously has to be someone trustworthy that you know will carefully follow your instructions. The point of a vacation is to relax and have fun, you can’t really do that if you’re constantly worried about what’s going on back home. This may be a difficult step for some, especially if you live far out in the country with no neighbors. If that’s the case I suggest getting acquainted with other homesteaders or farmers in your area. Which would be even more helpful to you because they almost certainly already know the basics of livestock care and gardening. I’m lucky enough to have several close friends in the area and my dad a stones throw away, but if I didn’t have this luxury I would do it this way. Make sure to return the favor (or offer to, at least) when it’s their turn to go on vacation.
Oftentimes I will offer fresh produce, goats milk, or fresh eggs on top of what I’m already paying them in exchange for their help. Most people won’t mind coming over to water your garden a few times a week, but it gets tricky when you have animals and livestock. I actually have a document I printed out that outlines all chores, what to feed the animals and when to feed them, emergency contacts, our vets number, emergency plans, etc. it’s very detailed but it comes in handy. Even if you don’t have a printout, it’s imperative that you at least provide all emergency contacts they might possibly need. If you take a lot of vacations or road trips like my family then it’s best if you use the same person when possible. They will get the hang of things eventually and you won’t have to go through the trouble of walking them through your instructions every time.. Have you ever heard someone say “don’t dine out, if you can’t afford to tip?” Likewise, don’t take a vacation if you can’t afford to pay a caretaker properly. Remember, they are caring for your livelihood while you are away, treat them accordingly.
Homestead fatigue is real. I get burned out sometimes. I wake up at dawn when the roosters are sounding their loud ass alarms and sometimes I feel like I don’t want to get out of bed. But if we don’t take care of these animals that we chose to take responsibility for, who will? The endless amount of chores just seems never ending. Don’t get me wrong, I live for all of this. It’s honestly a dream come true for me, but cleaning up after chickens and goats and mowing a few acres worth of land several times a week isn’t necessarily the most delightful part of it all. I even tried returning to work, not because of the money aspect but just to get a break occasionally but that was short lived, working from home is definitely the better option. So to keep from getting burned out we take trips often. Even just day trips really makes a difference. So if you run a farm or homestead I encourage you to get away occasionally when you can. You will come back feeling refreshed and ready to take on all the challenges homestead life has to offer. As a matter of fact, there were several trips that got cut short because I was homesick and ready to go home and get back to work after a few shorts days. Don’t ever let anyone tell you this lifestyle isn’t addictive.
I saved my least favorite part for last. Preparation. Even if it’s a two day trip I still have to prepare and make sure everything is in order. Chicken coops need to be cleaned extra good and same with the goat pens. Unless I’m gone for more than 2 weeks (even longer if it’s during winter or fall). Cleaning up after my animals isn’t typically a chore I leave for caretakers. Timing is everything. Its better to take longer trips when things are so hectic on the homestead. It’s a lot harder to travel during the Spring, lots of planting to be done, animals being born, hens are laying more, and so on. So my longer trips are usually reserved for fall and winter. I homeschool and my husband and I own our own business so scheduling conflicts with work and school aren’t usually a problem for us but it’s something others should also take into consideration when planning.
As you can see it’s not impossible to vacation while homesteading, it just involves more planning and more preparation. Remember the more planning you do beforehand the better you will be able to relax and enjoy yourself on vacation!
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