Looking for someone to help out on our homestead/farm

[winds-of-change]

I thought goats ate everything. I'm sure they would learn to eat your local hay eventually, that or starve.

I thought they ate everything, too. We had a pet goat at the stable where I boarded my house. The goat was forever eating the notices on the bulletin board.

 

[OldSchool]

For being posted in ‘off topic’ there’s some poetic irony that this is so on topic with the basics of this forum.

I’d like to help, I wish I could, but can’t. Right now I’m locked-in as a homeowner in Michigan. A few years ago I figured this would be my retirement home. Now?… I’d like bailout in a couple years, but will probably be more like 3-4 years. Then… helping out on a homestead/farm is what I’d like to do.

 

[Wmahoney]

For being posted in ‘off topic’ there’s some poetic irony that this is so on topic with the basics of this forum.

I know! Honestly, there are just so many different forums on here I just was not sure which one I should post in.

I’d like to help, I wish I could, but can’t. Right now I’m locked-in as a homeowner in Michigan. A few years ago I figured this would be my retirement home. Now?… I’d like bailout in a couple years, but will probably be more like 3-4 years. Then… helping out on a homestead/farm is what I’d like to do.

Well, feel free to reach out if it ever works out. Even after we get someone to help us out, we are still trying to build a community on our farm in the future.

 

[OldSchool]

We all have our own skill set and abilities, but there is no one person that’s good at everything. Combining those persons in a community, working together… is the way to go.

 

[OldSchool]

I don't want to be a buzzkill, but have you investigated the legal aspects of this with a lawyer? One is the trend for people to claim squatters rights. A guy in Kentucky let some "friends" stay recently, they claimed tenancy rights, filed a restraining order and forced him from his house! It was in the news. He eventually got it back, but OMG.

Also what you are describing is an "employee" to the IRS. Required to be there and do certain jobs at regular times, live on site, using your equipment, etc.. If anyone gets hurt is there workers comp / medical, soc sec,?

And, what are your laws on employee compensation / housing? You can't hire people for room and board alone anymore or with minimal pay, without meeting certain wage requirements (I think federally, but check your state). Also by providing employee housing there's a whole new set of tenancy rules in most cases. You can't just kick them out. Some states are very weak, others you'll have to evict, and housing value as compensation is capped at absurdly low amounts.

I had a guy work for me for ONE day flipping a house. 22 months later (24 mo statute of limitations) he sued me for a "back injury" and failure to pay (one days work). Luckily, we were a licensed company, with insurance, and outside payroll. He never returned for his pay, a check was mailed to his LKA and returned. Payroll still had the check, in the sealed, cancelled envelope in our file and the money still in our payroll account. I had three sets of lawyers on it. My own lawyer, my insurance, and a workers comp guy I hired. The WC lawyer took one look at the guy's lawyers name and laughed. He said, "This guy runs a WC mill, and does this all the time." They wait until just before the SofL expires, then file cases long after people forgot about them. We ultimately proved fraud but the DA would not bring charges and the insurance in the end paid them around $30,000 to go away. These people know this is the game and how to play it, we don't.

Anyway I'd talk to a lawyer(s) first and have some iron clad agreements in place.

10% of the population doesn’t have to ruin it for everyone.

And yes it’s true that 10% is a large number, but there’s ways to sort ‘em out…. and they are way outnumbered. A good team would make them very sorry they messed with ya.

 

[Peanut]

@Wmahoney Still no luck? Don’t know why it didn’t occur to me before… Just checked the map. There are more than 20 baptist churches in and around Roanoke. Rural and small town churches in the south have sincere, hardworking people for the most part.

The odds are very good you can find someone decent to help out. Maybe a young couple with one spouse out of work. Being rural they probably already have experience with livestock. Most importantly, not a drunk or druggie. Check the goog maps for churches closest to your home. Stop as sunday services conclude and ask a few folks in the parking lot. Tell them you’re looking to hire someone on a temp basis. Be straight forward, honest and most will respond in kind.

 

[Wmahoney]

@Wmahoney Still no luck? Don’t know why it didn’t occur to me before… Just checked the map. There are more than 20 baptist churches in and around Roanoke. Rural and small town churches in the south have sincere, hardworking people for the most part.

The odds are very good you can find someone decent to help out. Maybe a young couple with one spouse out of work. Being rural they probably already have experience with livestock. Most importantly, not a drunk or druggie. Check the goog maps for churches closest to your home. Stop as sunday services conclude and ask a few folks in the parking lot. Tell them you’re looking to hire someone on a temp basis. Be straight forward, honest and most will respond in kind.

No really. We have a couple people who want to learn to milk, but that does not mean that they want to help us out on our farm.
That is a good idea, and we might try that! There is a church almost on every corner, so it might work.

 

[montanabill]

We share part of our house with others. In the past I have specifically advertised for someone who wants to help out in the garden or with the chickens in exchange for a lower rent.....
No takers on reduced rent and many people consider microwave cooking to be cooking from scratch.....
Just a hint if you do find some prospects get their name and where they have lived for the past few years and any other common info like email or social media. Then do a simple google type search on line. You will be amazed what info comes up. Also always get contact info for a person that knows the person that is staying with you so you have someone to contact if things go sideways.