Private
Small 40 acre family ranch in Julian, CA, seeking caretaker / couple for animal care and light property maintenance, in exchange for reduced rent on a beautiful 2 bed / 1 bath apartment, and option to board own horse.
This position is ideally suited to an honest, knowledgeable and hardworking person or ideally couple, who have additional outside employment for income. The role requires part time work, for twice daily horse care plus other weekly and monthly tasks and potential additional projects, variable seasonally.
The successful candidate will be extremely knowledgeable about equine & bovine healthcare, familiar with all basic ranch maintenance responsibilities, able to maintain a safe environment and able to drive a tractor.
Rent
Reduced rent of $1500 per month plus part time (10-15 hrs a week on average) Animal Care, Maintenance & Caretaking duties performed, in exchange for a two-bedroom (plus bonus room), one bathroom partially furnished above-barn apartment with stunning views. On-site laundry, well water, parking, high speed internet and trash service included. Well behaved (cat friendly) dog also welcome. Option to perform additional projects in exchange for further rent reductions or boarding for own horse. Electricity bill is tenant’s own responsibility.
Tenants are expected to maintain a clean, neat appearance around the immediate barn area, in front of barn corrals and around apartment steps, as part of rental agreement, to include mowing, weed whacking, plant-trimming seasonally.
Summary of Responsibilities
DAILY ANIMAL CARE DUTIES
- Feed horses & donkeys twice daily
- Clean all horse / donkey water troughs weekly and check all auto-waterers (including cattle fields) for leaks
- Muck barn stalls once daily
- Apply fly spray and check fly masks in summer; check regularly for ailments, eye injuries, lameness etc and inform owners as needed.
- Feed barn cat, clean bowls and refresh water daily
- Winter blanketing as needed
OTHER DUTIES
1. Maintain Clean, Tidy Barn Areas
- Muck barn corrals once every week and haul manure to pastures.
- Chain harrow large pastures once per month.
- Maintain horse barn, hay barn, tractor barn and tool shed in clean and neat condition free of dirt, debris and pests at all times.
- Maintain supplies: Refill fuel cans, other supplies as needed
2. Other Animals
- Keep chicken feeders filled and water bucket clean at all times. Collect eggs and take to barn
- Feed koi fish 3x weekly in warmer months and refill water as needed
- Check & reset mouse traps in garage and house
- Check cattle for injury or illness and check water troughs twice weekly
- Refill auto feeder in garage for community cats weekly
3. General Property Caretaking:
- Leaf blow patios prior to owners’ arrival and haul leaves to burn pile (weekly)
- Take trash and recycling to pickup point for collection (weekly)
- Bring water jugs up to garage, leave empties for collection (monthly)
- Collect packages when passing by drop off point and bring to barn (occasional)
- Perform small repairs as needed, such as broken fence wire and minor irrigation leaks (occasional)
- Inform owners promptly of animal illness or injury and any larger repairs that are needed
OTHER POTENTIAL SEASONAL PROJECTS (COMPENSATED AT TBD RATES) INCLUDE:
- Springtime weed-whacking property including around arena / round pen, chicken coop and all roadsides as well as defensible space around house to maintain a clean, safe and neat appearance throughout the growing season
- Irrigation repairs as needed
- Minor fencing repairs
- Generator testing
- Clearing snow occasionally from driveways
- Cutting and hauling branches, leaves and other debris to burn pile
- Weeding / chain harrowing arena
- Log splitting, stacking, branch trimming
- General gardening and landscaping to maintain neat tidy planters, driveway and paths
- Assist with cattle feet trimming, de-worming
- Construction projects and repairs with prior agreement from owners
TO APPLY:
Forward cover letter & resume to our email address.
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