# renting hay ground



## scots7882 (Aug 26, 2014)

I have a few questions on renting hay ground.

One piece of hay ground I have rented for the last 3 years. It is 7 acre alfalfa at 160/acre. the guy also throws in another 10 acres of grass hay for free. It has been a good piece of ground and helped me to get through some hay shortages on my place. the problem is the alfalfa has run it's time, and its ready to be reseeded. the guy also had a fair bit of tiling done and there are 2 tile lines running through the middle of the hay field now. Who's responsibility is it to reseed the hay ground? Does the 160 seem fair and reasonable for hay ground....i'm located in west central Illinois. How should I approach negotiations/ and the tile lines running through the middle of the hayfield?

I had another guy approach me about cutting and baling his 3 acres of grass. he said he wanted 15 for every round bale. Is this a fair rate....it would be about a 20/30 minute drive via tractor. How much would you offer if you were planning to take squares off of it?

as always I appreciate all the good information on this site.

scots7882


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

Here, reseeding would be your responsibility. After all, you are the one renting it. What kind of rental agreement do you have? Anything in writing at all?

As to your three acres, I wouldn't drive 20 minutes to do a three acre field even if it was free. (Unless it's close to other acres you're farming, but then it wouldn't really be a 20 minute drive.) Depends on how desperate you are for acres, but for the hassle, it would seem like buying hay would be easier and probably more profitable and a more efficient use of your time.


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## scots7882 (Aug 26, 2014)

8350- Thank you for the information. I figured the 3 acres probly wasn't the best use of my time.... But thought I would check some others thought.

No written contract i just make a payment. The guy I rent it from is older (mid 80s) if I went ahead and reseeded should I try and get a contract guaranteeing the opportunity to rent it for 5 years?


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

I'd just interseeding some grass into it to thicken it up if mixed hay works for you.It wouldn't be that costly.Maybe discuss it with him that you will have some $ invested in seed so you would like it for awhile to recoup costs.Verbal contracts work for me,it could be insulting to him if you come right out and ask for one.


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## IH 1586 (Oct 16, 2014)

I would defiantly talk to him. You never know what he is interested in doing. Here you rent the land and it is your responsibility to take care of it. I had a guy call me up to put in a food plot in. I went to look at it and liked what I saw. Asked him if he owned it which he did and if I could rent it from him for hay ground. He gave it to me free of charge to use and this fall offered to help pay for lime and fertilizer. As much as I would like that I would also feel like I am taking advantage of him. Another batch of fields I rent is organic and the owner also wants to help with input costs. He paid for all the grass seed last spring. Defiantly helped me out, just doesn't feel right.


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## shortrow (Feb 21, 2012)

swmnhay said:


> I'd just interseeding some grass into it to thicken it up if mixed hay works for you.It wouldn't be that costly.Maybe discuss it with him that you will have some $ invested in seed so you would like it for awhile to recoup costs.Verbal contracts work for me,it could be insulting to him if you come right out and ask for one.


^ This is how I would handle it.


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

Interesting questions. I won't drive 15-20 minutes period, to me it is just too costly in wear and tear and that opportunity cost thing-you know when you run ted something because weather conditions are just so and it makes great hay sense to do it. the further away you are from your base, the more difficult that sort of thing becomes. Then there is the cost-15$ a roll, well if you are fertilizing and spraying herbicides for weed control liming etc, then you just gave away your margin with that 15$. As pointed out by others, you can buy hay cheaper than you can make it in this scenario.

On the alfalfa field-I have another slant-the guy is in his 80s. Life is short, alfalfa establishment is a multi-year investment. He could pass away at any time or have a major illness that takes him out of the picture where you are now dealing with his family members. I would figure out (I don't do alfalfa so I have no clue) how many years you need to recoup your investment at a reasonable write off rate so you are still making money each year and that is what I would go after for a written simple lease. Seems only fair.

I have honorary leases (verbal) but I have had them with those folks for years and they love the way I maintain their property so there is no reason for me to change. I do make improvements each year but long ago built the land up so we are in maintenance fertilization and liming. I am re-establishing a 10ac piece there with no written recoup plan but as already noted, don't have any real concerns about getting my money out of it as long as I don't croak and if I do, I won't be worried about getting my hay money will I? just one guy's opinion.


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## scots7882 (Aug 26, 2014)

thank you guys for the responses. yea the guy is an excellent individual, and the place is beautiful. I will talk to him about what he thinks, maybe just interseeding might be the best option. The guy is the type of individual...his word is gold, so i'm not afraid of a verbal agreement.


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## AndyL (Mar 9, 2013)

scots7882 said:


> No written contract i just make a payment. The guy I rent it from is older (mid 80s) if I went ahead and reseeded should I try and get a contract guaranteeing the opportunity to rent it for 5 years?


By all means, if you're going to put money like that in a leased place. GET IT ON PAPER. You can put that money in it and be outta there before you know it.

I just got outted on 45 acre with a deal like that. lucky for me I still had the chemical in the bottles when I got the call to vacate. It happened that quick. Was doing third cutting when I got the call. Didn't even get to finish that cutting. I had even started cleaning under his pecan trees for him. Happy to of not finished that too. Left about 90 bales of standing hay. That put a hole in the wallet.

Get it on paper.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

I agree with getting an agreement in writing.

An honest man's word is only as good as long as the person is alive. Children and spouses have minds of their own.


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Tim/South said:


> I agree with getting an agreement in writing.
> An honest man's word is only as good as the person is alive. Children and spouses have minds of their own.


And usually only one thing on that feeble mind.....how can I get some instant gratification for something that took my father and grandfather a lifetime to accumulate.....it's pathetic to see sometimes


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

somedevildawg said:


> And usually only one thing on that feeble mind.....how can I get some instant gratification for something that took my father and grandfather a lifetime to accumulate.....it's pathetic to see sometimes


Yea,I've seen that over and over when the parents pass they have the auctioneer on speed dial.

I have one farm I rent in hay that the landlady is getting pretty old and has mentioned selling at times and her health has been slipping the last yr.I wait until spring to fertilize instead of fall on this farm,just incase.

HERE legally they would have to terminate a verbal lease the fall before.For farm ground.


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## barnrope (Mar 22, 2010)

You might try to buy the ground from him....


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## Brian8 (Dec 8, 2014)

Yea if I had any amount of money put into someone else's land I would definitly have it on paper stating that you were leasing it for x amount of years even if it isn't for anything. Even an older person that is always good on their word can have illnesses that causes them to possibly forget or terminate without cause. Just think if you have the paperwork all written up all they have to do is read, sign and date. Boom your good. I use about 10 acres of my neighbors land and he was all good and dandy with it as long as I maintained it the same or better than I got it. He is 80 and just got married and his wife told me I couldn't use the land anymore and when I went to him he said I'm sorry but I'm too old to fight these battles and boom I was out. Easy to do the paperwork to possibly save you thousands of dollars.


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