Episode Details

Homestead Holiday Guide - Animals

Finding Reliable Caretakers:

Finding trustworthy caretakers for your animals is a top priority when planning a holiday away from your homestead. Here are some tips to ensure your animals are in good hands.

Reach Out to Fellow Homesteaders: Homesteaders understand the unique needs of caring for animals. Connect with local homesteaders who may be available to provide care or recommend reliable individuals. Neighbours are an excellent choice as they not only know your animals and property but they likely know you very will also.  in my case I used the son of my next door neighbour he's an adult he drives himself and he is more than capable of looking after animals.  

Professional Pet Sitters or Farm Sitters: Look for professionals experienced in caring for livestock or pets. There are many different services where you can find professional farm or house citters.  one of the services that I used when we went to the US was a Aussie house sitting Website where you could key in the at type of animals that you had and whether or not you were prepared to let them living your house where you're away whether they needed their own caravan whether they had to be able to milk goats or collect eggs or feed dogs.  being able to narrow you search down that way means that you can find somebody who is keen to do a good job for you because they'll get a review but also they're getting free accommodation while doing that small amount of work of looking after animals.

Schedule a meeting in advance to discuss your expectations, introduce them to your animals, and provide a rundown of daily tasks.

https://farmsitters.com.au/

https://www.aussiehousesitters.com.au/

https://www.trustedhousesitters.com/how-it-works/find-a-sitter/ has 24/7 vet help line

Vet Recommendations:  if you really can't find somebody you can always ask your local your veterinarian for recommendations on caretakers. Veterinarians often have contacts in the community who are knowledgeable about animal care.Or you can also look for recommendations on places like Facebook particularly if your rural area has its own page you can ask if there's anybody that's willing to house set or farm set for you. this means you would be looking at having strangers come and do it but if that's the best option that you can utilize then that's exactly what you need.  family are only useful to do these kinds of things if they are actually able to talk after the animals and in some cases that won't work. 

Preparing Adequate Food and Water:

Ensuring a steady supply of food and water is essential for the well-being of your animals. Here's how to prepare for their dietary needs.

Stock Up on Supplies: 

Purchase enough feed, hay, and any necessary supplements to last through your time away. Consider a slightly larger quantity to account for unforeseen circumstances. As I said in last week's episode I try and buy some extra through the year so that when it gets to the end of the year at Christmas time or if we're looking to go away we have enough feed store it up so that I won't have to go out and buy a bulk amount before I go away.  this means that I can spend my hard-earned money on