One of Maine’s latest cottage industries is farm sitting

Any farmer or homesteader will tell you there are no such things as sick days or vacations when you have livestock that need regular tending. But that may be changing thanks to a group here in Maine with a very active social media presence.

Created in 2021, Maine Farm Sitters looks to match people with experience taking care of farm animals with folks needing a break from their homesteads whether it’s for a few hours or a few weeks.

With an increased number of homesteaders looking for critter sitters and more people wanting to meet that need, the group has grown to more than 1,100 members. It’s become so popular that this week the University of Maine Cooperative Extension is offering a five-session class devoted to farm-sitting skills and the peace of mind it offers.

The five sessions — three online and two on actual farms — will cover animal health, nutrition, liability issues, how to negotiate contract agreements, farm safety and basic machinery operations.

“There is always something to learn about farming,” said Richard Brzozowski, professor emeritus at UMaine Cooperative Extension. “We wanted to do something that will give the farmer peace of mind that they hired someone who knows what they are doing.”

Jennifer Miller of Oxford thinks the extension class is a great idea. She’s been farm sitting for about a year, and until she stumbled on the Maine Farm Sitters group, thought she was the only one.

“I was just thinking that having a small farm myself meant we could never leave because we can’t leave the animals,” Miller said. “So I figured other people would feel the same way.”

She was not wrong.

It was not long after she began advertising her services that she discovered the Facebook group. Joining it not only expanded her reach, it has allowed her to network with a community of people who love their animals as much as she does.

After being a farm sitter for two decades, Jen Leyden of Yarmouth never thought she’d need to go looking for a sitter herself. Then she got drawn in last year’s moose lottery.

“I had always been the one to take care of other people’s places,” Leyden said. “But when I drew a moose permit, that put me in a situation where I absolutely had to have a sitter.”

Contracting with someone to tend her chickens, ducks, geese, goats, horse, donkey and barn cat gave Leyden the chance to experience the other side of the farm sitting business.

“You really can’t put a dollar amount on it,” Leyden said. “Finding that right person who treats your animals as well as your own is a substantial thing.”

For Miller that means going to the farm for which she is sitting as many times a day as the owners require. At minimum it’s twice a day for morning and evening feedings.

But then there are those times when a personal touch is needed.

“I have a regular farm family I sit for and they were going on vacation at the same time a chicken they loved very much did not look good,” Miller said. “They knew if they left they would probably miss her passing.”

The chicken died while her family was away. But thanks to Miller, her final days were spent getting warm baths, massages and special feedings of yogurt.

“The family was glad to know that she died warm and clean,” Miller said.

Some farmers never leave their homestead but still need someone to help out.

That’s what Alison Patry has done for each of her three pregnancies so she can have a bit of maternity leave while relying on the farm sitters.

“They were amazing to have around and help with the cows,” Patry said.”My husband would help in the evenings and on the weekends, but it was nice having the extra help and not having to worry about morning chores.”

Finding a farm sitter can be as simple as checking out the group on Facebook, talking to other homesteaders, or asking your veterinarian about potential sitters. Those who farm sit and who have used farm sitters say no matter how you find your person, it’s crucial to do some background research.

That means asking for references and talking to homesteaders who have used the sitters in the past. Farm sitters should also not be shy about asking for references from people who want to employ them.

How to formalize the agreements between farm sitters and clients will be part of the upcoming Extension course, Brzozowski said.

As it stands now, agreements between homesteaders and sitters often rely on a handshake and no written contracts. As more people get involved, issues of insurance, fair pay and working conditions will become more important.

Farm sitters tend to charge by the hour and prices range from $15 to $25 per hour depending on the kind of work required. Some also charge for the gas used to get to and from the farm.

“It can be hard enough to leave home when you have pets,” Miller said. “But when you leave your farm you also are leaving your job, your animals and your pets — you want to have people you trust taking care of all of it.”

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