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We often have a somewhat flexible travel schedule and can arrange our travel around your availability/travel plans with enough advance discussion and planning between us.
We travel frequently for pleasure and work related. Some trips are long weekends, some a week or two, and once or twice per year we are overseas for two-three months each.
Our ideal sitter/couple would be responsible, dependable, no drama, good communicator, and trustworthy with a deep respect for all living things.
Experienced with chickens and cats, not afraid to get a little dirty, fit enough to keep chicken house clean, ability to (learn) hot tub care, live cleanly and gently in our home, able and willing to adapt schedule to farm chore needs, willingness to be at property bulk of time, desires long-term (2-3 month) sits when needed, and is interested in repeat stays. (We really prefer to develop an ongoing relationship with a few ideal sitters/couples. The consistency is better for our critters and us. We offer a cool perk to those sitters with whom we develop an ongoing sitting relationship! Ask us about it!)
We give preference if you are interested in looking after garden and putting produce out for the self-serve market in season.
Sitter Responsibilities
In person training/orientation provided one to two days before our departure.
Detailed reference manual provided with emergency contacts.
Responsibilities include:
* am and pre-dusk chicken care, out in morning/in at dusk
* Rooster turn out--this involves picking up a rooster and letting him outside. All of our roosters are friendly to humans!
* Keeping chicken feeders and waterers full
* Cleaning roosts and laying boxes (this involves scraping chicken poop into bag with tool, work clothes, we provide gloves)
*Replace chicken house straw monthly (this involves shovel, wheelbarrow, work clothes--only on multi-month stays)
* Egg collection--this sometimes involves reaching under chickens (they don't hurt!) and bending/kneeling to reach lower nests
* Washing eggs and keeping self serve market fridge stocked with eggs
* am/pm cat feeding, playing, snuggling
* scoop cat litter box daily--change, add litter as needed
* fish care, feeding, adding water to tank for longer stays, light on/off
* plant watering
* collect mail, take out trash
*empty dehumidifiers as needed
* twice weekly hot tub spa maintenance (training/instructions provided)
*(Optional and seasonal) Organic garden care and stocking/take down of self-serve market on property
Features of the property and location
Lovely home/homestead on 11 wooded acres with stream, wildlife.
On edge of both suburban and semi-rural areas, 8 miles away from Cuyahoga Valley National Park and its activities/features, 25 miles away from Cleveland culture and Lake Erie beauty and activities.
Stable, good, secure wifi for home based work.
Weekly housekeeper provided.
Grass cutting and snow plowing services provided.
Utilities provided.
Home workout area, pool table, hot tub, patio with fire pit.
Can share in bounty of organic garden for personal consumption if in season and help tend to it for sales at on site, self-serve market.
Bonus perk for those sitters with whom we develp an ongoing relationship.
We are listed on other house sitting sites and have testimonials there from prior sitters. We can share these with you as we move along in discussion.
Please consider before applying
*Need to be reliable and dependable without potentially conflicting variables or unsettled situations (work or personal) that could disrupt your care commitment. When we are away (especially overseas), we cannot easily and quickly come home if you need to leave.
*Transportation likely needed. Can be discussed.
*This is a small-scale farm sit. Minimum farm duties include daily morning (8-9 am) and early evening (pre-dusk) chores in sun, rain, or snow, so your schedule must be able to accommodate specific chore times.You need outside work clothes, boots and being okay with getting a little sweaty and dirty.
*Guests/visitors not allowed without prior discussion,virtually meeting them and our consent.
*We run a small-scale self-serve organic market from our property. Customers can come from 9am until dusk daily. They serve themselves and put money in a kiosk by the garage. You just need to keep the frig stocked with clean eggs (and produce if in season and agreed upon), get the money at the end of each day and keep a simple tally sheet of sales. A bell will ring inside the house when customers pull in (Usually from 0-4 daily). There is complete privacy for you inside the house and in the back yard and back property.
*You should enjoy quiet living, being alone on property, being content to spend a lot of time on property with freedom to explore, etc. for shorter durations during daytime and anytime after dusk when chores done for day. With advance notice, we can make periodic local arrangements for assistance with putting chickens away for special evenings out that begin before dusk.
*We really need you to be stable, reliable, dependable and trustworthy, with a deep love and respect for animals, wildlife and nature.
If interested and you think this is a fit, please get in touch and we can schedule a Zoom conversation to more properly 'meet' and talk details.
We think you will come to love our home, property and animal friends as much as we do!