Farmstead Circle is live

Farmstead Circle is a Virginia-only marketplace that connects hobby farm and homestead owners with independent farm caretakers for livestock and property care. Owners book directly, pay after service by invoice, and caretakers keep their set rate through Stripe Connect as merchants of record.

What problem does Farmstead Circle solve?

Virginia homesteaders often need trusted coverage when they travel or cannot be on the property. Pet-sitting apps rarely cover livestock routines, and informal referrals leave payment and expectations unclear. Farmstead Circle gives both sides a clear booking, messaging, and invoice path without treating caretakers as employees or platform-placed labor.

Who is Farmstead Circle for?

The platform serves Virginia hobby farms and homesteads, not large commercial labor placement. Caretakers are independent service providers who set their own rates and complete independence attestations before taking bookings. Sponsored Pros appear in a separate directory for veterinary, farrier, and related farm services that owners contact directly.

How do bookings work, and what are the hard limits?

An owner searches by Virginia county, requests dates and a service type (live-in stay, daily drop-in, or extended drop-in), and the caretaker accepts or declines. After the care window, the caretaker marks work complete and submits an invoice; the owner approves and pays. Service is Virginia-only. Farmstead Circle does not arrange transportation, dispatch emergency help, or place payroll labor. Owners remain responsible for animals and property under the peer-to-peer arrangement.

How do payments work on Farmstead Circle?

After care is complete, the caretaker submits an invoice. The owner reviews, approves, and pays. Stripe Connect charges with the caretaker as merchant of record; Farmstead Circle collects only the disclosed owner-side platform fee (a flat $15 per booking, or $19/month Harvest to waive it). Payouts follow Stripe's connected-account schedule to the caretaker's bank account or debit card. There is no escrow and no payroll workflow.

What is not included?

Farmstead Circle is a technology marketplace, not a farm labor contractor. The platform does not assign caretakers, supervise animal care, guarantee outcomes, or coordinate rides to the property. Optional background checks are provider-neutral and remain off by default until configured. Weather, road access, and backup contacts stay the owner's responsibility.

Sources

USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture (United States summary): https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2022/Full_Report/Volume_1,_Chapter_1_US/usv1.pdf

Virginia Cooperative Extension (Virginia Tech): https://ext.vt.edu/

Stripe Connect documentation: https://docs.stripe.com/connect