# Hay



## debrann2929 (Nov 15, 2021)

Iam new here but have a question.I own some property and I don't fertilize or do anything to it and it's about 5 acres and have someone who knows it and then bakes hay.I live in Texas outside of San Antonio.Guy gets anywhere from 11 to 28 round baler of hay off of it, and I pay the taxes on my property yearly and I am wondering should I be getting some of that profit? He sells the baked and heard they run about $150 per bale.I feel like I should be receiving something and he has been doing this for years and I recently found out this thru a family member who has this guy doing it and I thought he was using the hay to feed his cattle and thought he was my brothers wife's nephew.


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

Welcome to HayTalk
I'm curious what type hay & size of rd bales are fetching $150 per bale! 28 bales from 5 acres is very impressive if not unbelievable production unless you're referring to annual production. I sure think it's not Coastal Bermuda.


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## debrann2929 (Nov 15, 2021)

Jim I know nothing about hay.This is raw land that I bought and have owned for a long time and I have noticed some little tiny mesquite twigs in it. This time he got 28 bales cuz it was really tall but usually gets 11, just depends on how much he knows it but we have had alot of rain this year. I was just curious to know if I should be getting something out of this.I don't have any baleing equipment, I just mowed it.


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## Hayjosh (Mar 24, 2016)

I'd be dubious as to if that $150/bale figure is accurate. Round bales usually go anywhere from $40-70/bale. I would require that he maintains the field with ferilizer and lime otherwise he will mine it, and then let him farm it at no cost. He's keeping the ground in condition and keeping you from having to mow it. You may be able to apply for an agricultural exemption on the property taxes. Alternatively you could make him pay a yearly rent for whatever the property taxes are for you. But most of the profits should remain his. His equipment, his time, his risk, if your ground becomes too expensive for him he'll quit it and go to different ground, and then you're left having to maintain it. 

A 5 acre parcel is a small field so probably isn't attractive to many people unless they're close.


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## the farmer 3 (Jul 12, 2021)

I have landowners that bring me a case of beer when I mow their field and a turkey at thanksgiving


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## debrann2929 (Nov 15, 2021)

Thank you all for your input and I don't have a problem mowing it myself and when I do it I maintain it and it looks nice, nothing to bale


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## debrann2929 (Nov 15, 2021)

My property taxes are quite a bit.


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## MTB98 (Feb 13, 2021)

debrann2929 said:


> Thank you all for your input and I don't have a problem mowing it myself and when I do it I maintain it and it looks nice, nothing to bale





debrann2929 said:


> My property taxes are quite a bit.


“Quite a bit” for property taxes is all relative, depends if you live in a high tax state (Texas is not). If you are complaining about the cost of taxes why do you want to take on the additional cost of mowing five acres? You’ll have fuel, maintenance, equipment costs plus the cost of hours of your own time. 
I would ask your hay guy that the ground be maintained with fertilizer and any other amendments that are necessary to keep the land productive. The price per bale of $150 you quoted seems really out of line too.


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

MTB98 said:


> “Quite a bit” for property taxes is all relative, depends if you live in a high tax state (Texas is not).


My wife inherited 4.3 acres of unimproved Texas land that the Texas property taxes are $1006 or $233 per acre tor 2021. That high to my thinking. She went before the equalization board last year with & they wouldn't lower the taxes. Unfortunately this 4.3 acres is too small to qualify for Ag exemption status. I've advised her to sell the property but it hers to do with as she pleases. Granted my ag exempt Texas property taxes that have been frozen for several yrs due to my age are only $4.70 per acre​


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## debrann2929 (Nov 15, 2021)

MTB98 said:


> “Quite a bit” for property taxes is all relative, depends if you live in a high tax state (Texas is not). If you are complaining about the cost of taxes why do you want to take on the additional cost of mowing five acres? You’ll have fuel, maintenance, equipment costs plus the cost of hours of your own time.
> I would ask your hay guy that the ground be maintained with fertilizer and any other amendments that are necessary to keep the land productive. The price per bale of $150 you quoted seems really out of line too.


Iam not complaining,I simply asked a question and wanted to know because I don't know how this works.My property was just an investment and I was going to build a home on it but other things got in the way.


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