Can it be done?
YES! You can take a winter vacation when you own livestock. I did, and had a wonderful time.
I found a website – https://www.trustedhousesitters.com/. There was a reasonable fee to become a member and then advertise for a sitter for the dates of my trip. The membership fee included insurance and piece of mind.
The Trusted Pet sitters do not get paid. They are people who love animals and enjoy house sitting. The girl that looked after my farm used her vacation time from work so she could stay on the farm. She did a wonderful job and sent great photos of my animals each day.
Where to go for Winter Vacation?
I went on a Caribbean Cruise with a friend. I enjoyed 11 days of sunshine and warmth. It was just what I needed in the middle of the Alberta Winter.
The Ship, The MSC Meriveglia, was lovely.
The ship left from Port Canaveral and we had two (Back to Back) cruises. We visited Belize City, Cozumel, Nassau, and MSC’s private Island.
My favourite stop was Ocean Cay, the MSC Marine Reserve. We actually spent 2.5 days here. The beaches were beautiful and the water was wonderful. There were lots of chairs and loungers on the beach and we were able to find a shady spot.
We had a day in Port Canaveral between the two sailings. My x-husband happens to live there, and work at NASA, so we got a wonderful, behind the scenes, tour. We got to see many launch pads and rockets. I was most impressed by seeing the beach house that was used by Apollo astronauts and their families.
Back to the farm after winter vacation
I came back, well rested and recharged. It was bitter cold for the first few days, but then we got a wonderful streak of mild weather. My animals had all been well taken care of and were happy to see me.
I will not hesitate to use Trusted House Sitters again to care for my animals while I take a vacation.
Now, Spring is approaching. Which means Baby Chicks and Baby goats. Stay Tuned.
