# Haying on my land- how to fairly split hay??



## Hestia

Hi everyone. I am new to all this, and I need some information and seasoned advice.

My grandfather left his land to me and my sister. A neighbor began improving the fields a few years before my grandad passed; they had a very informal arrangement (nothing on paper). My grandfather did not keep any animals, so in exchange for keeping his woodshed full (here in New England), the neighbor took all the hay.

I plan to keep my own animals, and in any case I have uses for the hay. If the neighbor is doing the haying and I am providing the land, what is a fair division of the hay? I'm looking for going rates here, but also comments from veteran farmers/hay producers.

The added undertone here is that I find this person very tough to deal with. He has his own land, he has no job (his wife supports him and he's very unkind to her), and he has been disrespectful to my sister on a number of occasions. I want to be fair to him, but I also want to phase him out. There are a number of nice, hardworking people around here who would hay my fields and like to have good hay for their animals.

Thanks in advance for your responses.


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## Goatman

Hestia,
I share crop with my neighbor. I provide all the equipment and the labor while they cover all expenses such as fertilizer and seed. Then we spilt the hay in equal 50/50 shares. However, I do not believe that this is the correct way to share crop. I would rather see myself pay for half the expenses as well, but they are too nice and won't let me. I guess it is a good problem to have. In my opinion a good share crop would be that they provide the equipment, labor, and half the expenses while you are also paying for half the expenses and providing the land.

As far as having a difficult guy to deal with, I would work my hardest to get rid of him as soon as possible...expecially if he is disrespectful!


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## Toyes Hill Angus

The way a shared crop works here is 1/3 for the land owner, 2/3 to the farmer (me) all expences (fertilizer,spray,etc) are bourne by the farmer, who also has full control over the manner in which he farms and operates. This is the usual arangement.
As far as difficulty with this fellow try thinking of things from his side of the fence. If your grandfather always got on good with him, possibly he is unsure of the new dynamic that you and your sister bring to the table. Don't get me wrong, this is no excuse for dissrespect and rudeness, but try to keep the wishes of your grandfather in mind. I have seen this work from both sides of the fence and it can work as long as communication is clear and deliberate and both parties are on the same page.
Good luck


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## Hestia

Thank you both for your thoughtful responses.

As far as communicating with this person, I think we have vastly different priorities and modes of getting our respective points across. He seems to feel like we owe him, and we absolutely do not. I won't get into the details, but suffice to say he has used this property for years in exchange for doing the cord wood, all of which came from this land.

But if I continue with him this year, I will not be paying for fertilizer as he has asked me to do.

Sigh. I wish this situation was not like this. Thanks again for your information and advice.


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## Goatman

Sounds like an awkward situation. I'd write it up on paper how you'd like to see it farmed and if he doesn't like it then tell him you'll find someone that does (in an inoffensive way..) You difenitly do not owe him anything as the use of the land should've greatly offset him getting wood for your grandfather. I hope the best for you and all turns out in a positive way.


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## mlappin

From what I've read so far, unless your grandfather was using a world record breaking amount of wood in the winter, the current tenant was getting the land pretty cheap.

I'm not sure what the dynamic is between your family and the current tenant, but it is _your_ land, seems from what I've read the current tenant has forgotten that.

With the price of fuel, price of equipment, maintenance and what not with the equipment, in our area at least it would not be out of line splitting the cost of fertilizer 50/50 on a 1/3-2/3 split of the hay. While I only do one field on shares and it's 50-50, the landowner pays for all the fertilizer. You did not specify what kind of hay you have, but while alfalfa is not cheap to plant, it is far cheaper than planting row crops as it does not have to be replanted every year.


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## Haymike56

I agree, the tennant should be respectfull of the land owner, but that goes both ways. You should check your local laws for farm leases. In Illinois the law states that a farm lease can be written or verbal and this lease is a yearly renewal that starts and ends March 1. The tennant needs to be notified by October 31 that the lease will be ended the next year but he hast the land till March 1. Hopefully you can work this out without all that leagal crap. I have good relationships with my landlords and wo do a 50/50 split on the hay, fertilizer and seed.


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## Hestia

> I agree, the tennant should be respectfull of the land owner, but that goes both ways.


We've bent over backwards in consideration of the help he gave my grandfather. I asked him what he planned to plant in our garden so we could plant with his plans in mind (it's huge and my grandad wasn't planting it). We were solicitous of his advice about all things pertaining to this place. It quickly became apparent that he thinks we just fell off a Starbucks truck and he's been negative Nancy about everything I've wanted to do (orchard? "No, you can't do that." pasture-raised sheep? "No, there's not enough pasture after I put my eight cows out." and on and on).

I found the laws pertaining to this kind of thing, and in my state a verbal agreement isn't enforceable, much less a verbal agreement with a person who's passed.

I am going to offer to split the hay 2/3 to him and 1/3 to me for this year and then find someone else for next year.


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## Toyes Hill Angus

good luck, I hope everything goes well.


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## NCSteveH

Sounds like you may want to follow the baler and pick up every 3rd bale so you don't end up with rained on junk hay, just saying it doesn't sound like he will really care about your hay if he knows he's gone next year.


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## hillrunner

Maybe I missed it but I don't think I read how many acres we are talking about here. A very small amount of acreage would require a sweetened deal for the farmer to make it worth his time imo. A larger amount of acreage would be more desirable and leave you many more options.


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## Hestia

He's not a farmer. He doesn't have a job. His wife makes a very good living and supports him. He started improving my grandfather's fields as a hobby, he says. I think he has been selling hay and wood off this property, but he says not. He has done what appears to be a nice job with the fields, but I'll just be blunt here. It's unwise and maybe even foolish to improve land you don't own and never have a hope of owning, and then act entitled when the new owners want to manage things their own way. He has no written contract with my family. I would have insisted on a lease to protect both parties and make everyone's rights and duties clear. It's like redoing the kitchen in a house you rent- not smart.

As far as my acres not being worth his time: I wish! I wish he'd decide this isn't worth his time so I don't have to send him packing.


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## middleTn

We ran into the same type situation when we bought our 111 ac farm, prior owner had a man who cut and got 100 %.

prior owner was good will this as their place always looked good cut

We rolled into town using this place as a vacation place until we moved.

Well since no one was there to monitor lets say his care and cutting habits changed , if it got cut at all

Everything was verbal, we decided into season two to just be honest, it was a stressful conversation but it was our last one

I told him I wanted to part as friends

I tried another one, two farmers and found the only way for me to get it cut for sure twice a year and my way was to buy some equipment and get with it

I formed a partership.with my neighbor who has a tractor, some time, and a need for some hay and we are doing well

We have been going strong for a couple years

Let the agreement die with your grandfather start fresh from the tone and choice of the words you have used you are clearly over him

It will be a stressful conversation but how many of those have you already had.. One more wont hurt

Signed dr.phil

Good luck


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