Country Lane Caretakers

House sitting

 

If you are planning a trip away, or called out and have already booked Trades people, other works scheduled or need the household domesticated pets looked after, this is the most basic, easiest and cost-effective service.

 

Don’t kennel your pets, have them stay at home for a modest daily fee.

 

Standard House sitting may include:

• Checking out-buildings, fences, yards, water tanks, pumps

• Garden watering

• Feed & water inside / outside household / domestic pets

• Some odd jobs like sweeping decks, paths

 

Let me know what you’d like specifically and I will try and include it under my House Sitting fee.

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House & Pet Stock Sitting

 

For those with animals, I can be on site to provide a basic house sitting, feed, water and check-in on pets and pet stock animals as a combined service.

 

Many folks have a horse or two, a couple of outside dogs, maybe some goats or sheep, or a coop full of chickens that need to be fed watered and checked.

 

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Standard House & Pet stock sitting may include:

 

• Check pets and Pet stock Min 3 times a day (evenings by arrangement for meds etc)

• Feed and water (including supplements)

• Place & remove winter coats

• Tidy feed shed and stalls

• Check Yard fences

• Finding “escapees” (I will contact you, as you may know where they like to escape to!)

 

Ask about more detailed tasks and fees involved. The house and pet stock sitting service fees are based on the time it would take to get to all of the animals, feed, water and check-in in 1-hour segments. This can be once a day or a negotiated fee for several times

 

Having a regular face attend your property means that some of your farm friends will get to know me as well as the chores and routines you have set.

 

​So next time you are away...

 

Don't leave home without us.

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Garden, Grounds & Farm Maintenance

 

If you have some Garden & Grounds maintenance ask about what services I can provide. I can do work by the hour in addition to the House sitting / Pet and Pet stock sitting fee.

 

Maximum 4 hours Garden, each day Grounds and Farm Maintenance, if sitting and/or pet or stock duties are required.

 

In most cases I will use plant and equipment you have on-site, which means I can keep the prices low.

 

Basic maintenance may include:

• mowing, edging, weeding, mulching, composting, raking, sweeping

• fire wood splitting, kindling collection, fuel load reductions

• fencing checks

• minor fencing repairs tensioning, short term “emergency” patching

 

​Ask about more specific detailed tasks and combinations and related fees.

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Having someone that has commercial experience in Garden & Yard Maintenance will be better than the unpaid workers.

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Farm Plans

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Farm planning is a passion of mine for so many reasons. It encompasses a whole range of operations on your property. From maximising on-farm income streams, to development plans, or just where best to place a garden bed.

 

Farm plans, even the most basic, can help you efficiently use the space you have available, to maximise efficiency, or income per metre, hectare etc. Farm plans can make sure that all interested parties know what’s going on, the limitations, restrictions of everything from carrying capacity of animals, numbers of “dongers”, converted containers, or 5 star accommodation you can have.

 

Farm plans try to lay out everything, like utilities, power, water, sewage lines, sight lines for buildings if privacy is a theme, to where to plant trees to provide the perception of “seclusion” and noise reduction. Farm plans detail what the soil tests, water tests, agronomist or environmental assessor advised… or just shows you where best to place the chicken coop or veggie patch!

 

Farm plans can help allocate land or resources for future development, additional locations for buildings, accommodation, energy production / use, waste management and any number of other future planning.

 

They can be hand drawn or utilise GPS / GIS farm-based mapping / land management apps and software.

 

I am very passionate about farm plans… ask about some simple ideas we can discuss!

 

Farm plans can also involve:

 

• Mapping

• Soil assessments

• Erosion controls

• Water management

• Planting locations

• Fire risk assessments

• Govt funding / rebates / assistance

• Biodiversity plans

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Having a regular visitor to your property can give you a second opinion or suggest options.

 

​Country Lane Caretakers can offer so much more than a travelling house sitter.

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Farmstays

 

Farmstays are all about guest interactions and participation. Farmstays are a great way to showcase your property, your skills, your creativity and your passion for the activities you want others to experience or enjoy.

 

Whether you operate a traditional farmstay where you have an already operational Farm and invite guests to “tag-along”, or your provide structured experiential education, formalised vocational training or 5 star travel, tourism or adventure activities you need to have someone experienced in providing value added walk and talks and other high level customer experiences and interactions.

 

Whether you incorporate mustering on horseback and other unique experiences, or a more "hands-off / self-catered”  experience such as camping by a creek "under the stars" by the river,  horse-trailing, shear a sheep, feed a Llama… you’re gonna need help some time.

 

Whatever the theme, there will be times you need to leave the site, and you still have clients.

 

Depending on what theme and specifics you offer, I can step in. From story-telling around the fire, or helping feed the stock, guiding guests around doing some light chores, or just keeping the fire wood up… I can help out for a few days.

 

This would be a “fill-in on the fly” kinda service, but I have a great deal of experience in dealing with a variety of guests, from high value international 5 star travellers to the more self-sufficient independent travellers, groups and families, and can ensure a guest focussed experience they'll always remember!

 

If you are going away, and only need the basics covered, simply choose the B&B service or we can tailor something that works for you!

 

The basic service provided for Farmstays and B&B's includes 24 hr presence on site, assist with check-ins and checkouts, pre-arrival room / site checks, hamper / meal placements, rubbish removal, on-call client contact, departure room strip / site clean.

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B&B's

 

I have a broad range of experience in the travel and tourism industry in Australia & the USA. For a few years I worked extensively with Japanese guests, My Japanese is very rusty… but we can get by! But I enjoy interactions with guests from all over!

 

I have worked with general tourism, experiential education, adventure travel as well as high value clientelle that understand the value of and expect personalised service and unique experiences.​

 

The basic service provided for Farmstays and B&B's includes 24 hr presence on site, assist with check-ins and checkouts, pre-arrival room / site checks, hamper / meal placements, rubbish removal, client contact, departure room strip / site clean.

 

Ask about more detailed tasks and related fees

 

I can work with you on a regular basis and assist in developing advertising &  marketing strategies, business development, site interpretive pamphlets, activity lists, local attractions, local plant and wildlife surveys and other customer information.

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Absent Owners

 

This is a unique service I have developed after requests by landholders.

 

• Is your property a retreat... or just hard work?

• Do you spend time away from your property?

• Would you like to have someone do some “house warming” tasks before your arrival?

• Would you like a site presence to give the property that “lived in” look?

 

If you spend a lot of time away from your property, regular tasks still need to be performed. Sometimes trades people and other contracted people need supervised access to buildings, amenities, utilities and someone that knows the site such as where water lines and others are located.

 

An on-call caretaker can attend for the time period that tradies and other contractors are on-site and provide regular reports and updates. You don’t need to be there for the fencing contractor, gardens maintenance or plumber!

 

An “on-call” caretaker can take care of assisting with site access and maintain security during scheduled works.​

 

Site managers also ensure that correct billing regarding time on-site, work completed, issues arisen, and other related problems may be minimised. No contractors clocking off early, or not doing all the tasks required.

  

 

Housewarming Service

 

Would you like a “housewarming” service prior to your arrival to turn on water supply, switch power back on, flush all kitchen, bathroom and laundry drains that can lose water from the “s”-bend and leave the place smelling terrible at times.

 

The reverse can also be done on your departure, as a "shutdown" process that should be considered to minimise things like burst pipes, electrical faults, setting alarms, timers and the like.

 

Would you like cooling and heating turned on to slowly heat or cool the place the day before, rather than a sudden need for power (helpful for off-grid living folks)?

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Does the airstrip / heli-pad, need clearing before you land?

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Would you like the fridge switched on and cooling drinks, ice, milk or other refreshments on your arrival?

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Does a late night arrival mean you can’t access stores for supplies?

 

​… have your friendly caretaker do a resupply run along with other housewarming tasks the day or two before!

 

Is this a retreat…or just hard work?

 

Many of these tasks, after a time away, can detract from owners seeing the visit as relaxing or as a “retreat”… the reason why they bought the place!​

 

A house warming service for you, might entail mowing the entry road verge, around the main house as well as other utilities related tasks. Priming water pumps, topping up house gravity fed tanks and running internal taps may save some heartbreak at wanting a hot shower or other basics, on your arrival. A Caretaker can work out the glitches…and there are always one or two, that pop up with turning on a tap or a light switch after time away!

 

​Not having to do all those tasks you have to do, and only doing the ones you like, may change your entire experience of your own retreat!

 

Contact me about pre-arrival tasks and post departure “shut-downs”.

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Your Caretaker on call