We are looking for a non-smoking, couple (or individual) to look after our cats and our house from May 24th to June 20th. (Start date is firm but end date could be flexible.)
We have 3 cats, so you should be a cat lover and understand them (as best as any of us can). They are very spoiled and this is their kingdom. We kindly ask you not to bring any pets with you as they do not like to share their home.
Sorry no children. Our children are 25. We love them very much. They don’t live with us. This makes us happy. We have raised our children and do not wish to have children on the farm until such time, many, many years from now, when we have grandchildren.
The House – Our home is 2,400 square feet and the back portion of the house has a lovely bedroom for the caretaker. The living room and kitchen are common space. The upstairs is our space so we ask caretakers to not use that space. We have a beautiful custom kitchen which was designed for cooks with a dishwasher, stove, oven, fridge and freezer. Of course there is a washing machine and dryer. Heating is a combination of radiant flooring and a woodstove. There is still work to be done in the house. This is a work in progress country home.
The Property - The house sits in the middle of 80 acres of land that is home to all kinds of wildlife, with an orchard, green house and a 2 acre pond (with dock and kayaks). We have land partners and there are three other homes and four other people living on the property. You can’t see any of them from our house and while you hear distant voices sometimes, they are several acres away. The land here is not flat so you can spend several hours hiking around the 80 acres. Just watch out for poison oak, especially in the summer.
The Garden – If you are interested in gardening this is a beautiful space to play in. The orchard has plums, apples, pears, figs, quince, cherries and berries which are dormant this time of year. You can do starts in the greenhouse if you wish whilst here. The green house yields peppers, herbs, and usually tomatoes year round.
Electricity is supplied from our own off-grid solar system and battery bank. Water is pumped up from our own well, which gives us wonderful quality water from an underground lake. Waste goes to a septic tank.
Responsibilities
* feed the cats
* cuddle & love the cats
* guard the house
* keep the house clean
* water the plants in the house and in the greenhouse and if it is uncommonly warm, perhaps some watering in the orchard.
Location
The house is ideally located for someone who wants to work from home, or concentrate on a piece of creative work of their own without distractions.
The land is very tranquil and but is only 15 minutes from Highway 101, making our home an ideal base from which to explore the redwoods or the Mendocino coast line.
What To Consider
This is not a paid sit but we take care of all the amenities and you can raid the freezer whilst here. I work from home and have a lot of zoom and teams meetings, so we have high speed internet. We have Netflix, Hulu, Disney & HBO Max but no cable. Water & Electricity is free. You will have to haul your garbage to the dump as there are no services here, but it's not far.
The house is quite isolated. Getting to and from here is not possible via public transit. You therefore need a valid drivers license and a vehicle. An ability to speak some English is pretty essential in this area as well.
This is an unfinished home and it is country living. If you are expecting a perfect suburban home, this is not the place for you. If you love nature however, it is incredible here.
Lastly, we have been WWOOF hosts for the past two years so can supply references of people who have stayed here recently.