# Letting a field go back to nature - any ideas/comments? What can I expect?



## jayewo (Jan 7, 2011)

I have about 30 acres of fescue and have been letting someone fertilize, lime, cut, bail and take away the round bales for the past 15 years. All I get out of it is a property tax credit for the worth of the yield since I have never found anyone who wanted to "go shares", and, of course I get a manicured field to look at.
I am ready to stop this particular arrangement due to the workers' tendency to clip fences, gates and trees...and am hesitant to have another set of strangers come in after my experience.
My question is-what would it be like to just let the fields go back to nature? I would love to have more wildlife, but I am wondering what a rich fescue field would do when that beautiful waist high grass dies. Would it mulch the field to the extent where nothing would grow? Would it be a mistake to let the fields go?
Am I doomed to the haying process with it's inconvenience?

My house is in the middle of this field so I'm concerned with making a mess which will be costly to reverse if it looks really bad.


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## Toyes Hill Angus (Dec 21, 2010)

DON'T DO IT! It will be a mess in three years at the most. Especially if your house is in the middle of the Field. Land here, in the region of Ontario that I live in land can sell as high as $10K per acre. We have to produce a crop of some kind from fence line to fence line to make a go of it. The tax man wants his share for the land either way... The deal that you are offering doesn't seem that unreasonable to me. Have you tried talking to the guy that is currently taking the hay off of the Field about some of the "in Field etiquette" that he has done. If you can, work out your differences with the current operator, if not look for someone else. A well cared for hay Field is a much nicer view from the front window than 30 acres of scrub brush and weeds.


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## NDVA HAYMAN (Nov 24, 2009)

When you say he has a tendency to clip fences, trees and gates, what do you mean? Is he hitting them with his equipment or is he not trimming around them? If he is hitting them with equipment, that shows me he does not care about your land nor his equipment. I would find another operator. You probably will not like the looks of your property nor will your spouse like the snakes that come wiggling into your yard from all the grown up vegetation. If you want wildlife, plant some food plots away from the house or leave an area away from the house uncut. You hold the big hammer! Make it work for you! mike


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## jayewo (Jan 7, 2011)

Your replies are just in time since I was trying to decide if I should keep an appointment with a new guy tomorrow - he heard I needed an operator and called today. So I'll let him have a chance.
The first guy ran into things with the equipment and drifted into the yard on occasion, cutting the tops off the sewer clean outs, mowing down landscaping plants, running over young trees - we would have a talk - then I'd go out the next season and find new damage-always something new that you never could of guessed he would do next. One time I planted trees in a place he had never mowed in all his years here- I marked them and put up a 3 1/2' high line on posts around them and by golly, that year he mowed that plot, markers, fence line and all. It seemed endlessly frustrating...so I ended it.

Looks like I'll be making hay again this coming season.
Thanks.


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## Toyes Hill Angus (Dec 21, 2010)

you are right, it's time to move on. I hope you have a better year in 2011 with the new guy


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