Changed my own plan and wondering if I'll regret it!
By GreenMoo
@GreenMoo (11834)
December 5, 2012 3:20am CST
As some of you know, I host volunteers on my farm. Over the years we've hosted about 400 and they are here 365 days a year. I cook for them and we have to organise them, and as they live onsite they are always around. Never do we have a day when we don't have to organise them in some way.
Anyway, the strain of it has started to show so we decided to take a break for the latter part of December and January. We cancelled all vacancies and decided we'd use the extra time to do some socialising (very hard normally as one of us normally has to be here) and spend some time with the kids. The two girls we have here now are due to head off on Friday this week.
Well last week I accepted a guy by phone who we agreed would come just for the week, then head off whilst we have our 'holiday' and return after. He's turned out to be really great. He's pretty self sufficient and doesn't bother us at all. He's a great worker with some skills we don't often get. So, we've told him he can stay on.
So much for our holiday!
I'm weighing up what I've done now. On the one hand he's a great guy you can be left to get on with some work without too much input, and he can complete some building tasks which my partner is just too busy to get to and I don't have the skills for. On the other hand, I'll still have to cook for him most of the time and I'll still feel responsible for him.
Have I done the right thing?
4 people like this
7 responses
@peavey (16936)
• United States
5 Dec 12
Probably not as far as your holiday goes, but there's nothing to be done about that now. You can still get some down time if you work it just right, though. I would make sure he understands the situation that you had intended to take a break from things. If he's as good as you say, you should be able to go off and leave him for a little while anyway. The two of you take off for at least a few hours, then check back on him. If everything is all right, do it again.
Instead of cooking all the time for him, make up some things ahead of time, then make them available to him. I don't know your living arrangement with your volunteers, but if they have access to a stove to heat food or are able to keep it in a refrigerator, so much the better. Plan for simple things like sandwiches or soups or things you can cook ahead and leave for him.
Where there's a will, there's a way! 
2 people like this
@GreenMoo (11834)
•
5 Dec 12
Yes, trying to put some plans together at the moment. When I'm cooking for the family it is no bother to cook a little extra but it is the HAVING to cook that's an issue so I'm trying to work out what I can stick in a box that he can cook simple things with on the limited facilities we can put together.
He's doing a stirling job of a wall outside at the moment, so I'm feeling quite positive now.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (157551)
• United States
6 Dec 12
You need to find a volunteer who wants to come cook. It does sound like he is a blessing, but still try to get some time off squeezed into the mix. Maybe you need to be more selective in who you allow to volunteer, so you could get more like this guy.
@GreenMoo (11834)
•
6 Dec 12
Oh so many of them want to cook. But they either drive me mental inside my house or else they use every ingredient in the whole store cupboard to 'prove' themselves! Really it works out less stressful to do it myself most of the time!
I'd love to have more like this guy. Really. It's so hard to know what someone will be like until they show up though. It's not really what they've done before that makes the difference, more their attitude which is really hard to define. I mean, nobody actually writes to me and says they need mothering every moment of every day, but that's how lots turn out!
@BarBaraPrz (45487)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
5 Dec 12
Well, you have to cook every day for yourself, so making sure there's enough for him shouldn't be a chore. And as you say, he's doing a sterling job without a lot of supervision, so you can do some socializing without worrying about things getting out of hand while you're gone. Sure, you'd like the privacy, but it doesn't sound like you have to hold his hand with every step. Stop worrying and enjoy the fact that you have an angel in disguise volunteering this time.
1 person likes this
@GreenMoo (11834)
•
5 Dec 12
Ah, you see, there is the problem. I DON'T have to cook for myself and the rest of the family every meal. I can feed them bananas if I can't be bothered to cook, or go out, or starve. But when there is someone here I have an obligation to feed them a proper meal at a prearranged time, particularly if they've put in a good day's work.
But I've been really clear that this is my time off, so we'll see how he feels about bananas.
2 people like this
@guybrush (4658)
• Australia
5 Dec 12
It's a shame you've missed your long-deserved break - but it will be great to have those jobs done which you'd been putting off or waiting for. You will have to reschedule your break for when your new volunteer goes. If he originally wanted to stay for just a week, maybe he has plans, and will move on soon. It's really important for you to have your holiday - and I hope you manage to fit it in soon!
@inertia4 (27961)
• United States
9 Dec 12
Thats what sacrifice is for. You did the right thing. Look, how often does someone like that come along? Not often I bet. But being that he is self sufficient, then you should not have to worry too much about him. And maybe he can take the place of a few others.
@inertia4 (27961)
• United States
14 Dec 12
Now that is great news for you. He does seem like quite the work horse. Some people are just gifted with lots of skills. Some of us are not that lucky. I know I can do small jobs, but nothing like that. I did a lot when I was younger though. But I am happy for you that this guy is working out so well.
@p1kef1sh (45681)
•
5 Dec 12
I hate to be brutal but you accepted him so you have to deal with the fall out. Clearly his visit has been a great success but you are still landed with the hospitality stuff. Is there any chance that you could leave him alone to fend for himself and give him a discount?
