Getting paid for hay

[kcflhrc]

So, I'm a newbie land owner. 10 acres and about 7 acres in hay. We moved here last September and was approached by the neighbors regarding doing the hay. I said sure, have at it. They had already been doing it for years for the previous owner. I was making the assumption that there would be some form of payment to me for the land use, etc. Did I make the wrong assumption? Is them doing the hay payment enough since they fertilized it, cut it, raked, bailed and removed it? Probably my fault for not asking more questions. I really don't care about the money because I'm sure it's minimal. What is your experience? Are they taking advantage or is this way it is?

Thanks

 

[motownbrowne]

You're right, it wouldn't be much. I'm no expert on the subject, but I'd think the landowner would usually get a share, I'd guess 1/4-1/3 of the hay. If you want money instead of hay, I'd expect it to be more like half the market value of your share.

Could you contact the previous owners to see what their arrangement was?

 

[EddieWalker]

When my brother bought his 40 acres, the previous owner had an arrangement with a neighbor for half the hay that he cut. When my brother talked to the guy about keeping the arrangement, he said that it wasn't worth it to him for only half the hay and he wanted all of it, which my brother declined. So now the hay fields have gone native and are more weeds then grass. He would have been better off to have the guy keep taking care of it for nothing since he didn't have the equipment to do it himself. Just the free mowing would be worth it to me.

Eddie

 

[kcflhrc]

Previous owner was a 93 year old woman. She doesn't remember much of anything.

 

[JD5210]

Around by me they rent the land $25/acre, fertilize and take all the hay. I would look into the fertilizing. A friend just purchased some land a few years back, the owner said the renter had been fertilizing. What the renter was doing was just putting down a little nitrogen. The last few years my friend has put in close to $200/acre in lime, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium just to bring it back.

 

[farmer2009]

Here it depends on the land owner. For me all my landowners said keep it cleaned up. I fertilize it cut it bale it and get all the hay. If I don't need the hay then I have to go bushhog it to keep it cleaned up. Dad has some agreements where the land owner buys the fertilizer and dad bales it then the land owner get half the hay or a preset amount to get him through the winter. Both works well. Although if we had to we could rent the ground for about $20/acre and not hurt to much.

 

[woodchuckc]

I only have about 20 acres of fields that can be cut for hay (the rest of my open land is too hilly and steep to do anything but bushhog it), and I have been just having it hayed for free. The guy that hays it works a neighbor's fields a couple of miles down the road and drives his equipment over to my fields. My fields are just mixed fescue and I don't fertilize or lime them, so the yield is not that great on them. It is worth it to me to just let him have the hay so I don't have to spend the time and fuel to keep them bushhogged.

 

[txdon]

My Dad has 20 acres leased out for hay for 1/5 of the hay. The leaser planted the hay and fertilized it. So far this year it has produced 250 5' round bales in three cuttings.

Some people let neighbors just cut the hay and have it so they don't have to mow. It usually has some weeds in it and it is a hay plentiful year.

An agreement should be established before cutting so no one will be disappointed.

 

[kcflhrc]

Thanks for the insight guys. I don't need the hay, no use for it. And with hay being plentiful this year and last I suspect the value is hardly worth the time, fuel and fertilizer. I agree the brush hogging would take a lot of time with my 3032E JD and my 5' brush hog. Better off to have it hayed for a good use. I think next year we will have a little better understanding on what's going on and when. I didn't like the fact that that they were working into the evening after dark on July 3rd and also the fact that they were baling on July 4th when we had a whole bunch of guests over for the holiday. I know, I know, you farm when you can but the timing was all wrong for me this year and being a new land owner I really didn't know what to expect. I know better now and will have an understanding next year or have someone else do it.

Thanks

 

[foreman Etexas]

It will also keep it ag exempt. I have a few lease places I hay off and if I'm going to be cutting late I usually ask if it will bother them,same with holidays. It's is hard sometimes to plan it so not cutting late,if you have break down or something and get a late start but need to get so much cut in that day,especially if weather is coming like this year. I don't pay on hay ground just the cattle lease, I do have to bale it atleast twice if can,fertilize,weed spray,and I keep fence on highway looking good. If don't bale a second or third depending on weather I need to shred and keep it looking good.

 

[lt190b]

Thanks for the insight guys. I don't need the hay, no use for it. And with hay being plentiful this year and last I suspect the value is hardly worth the time, fuel and fertilizer. I agree the brush hogging would take a lot of time with my 3032E JD and my 5' brush hog. Better off to have it hayed for a good use. I think next year we will have a little better understanding on what's going on and when. I didn't like the fact that that they were working into the evening after dark on July 3rd and also the fact that they were baling on July 4th when we had a whole bunch of guests over for the holiday. I know, I know, you farm when you can but the timing was all wrong for me this year and being a new land owner I really didn't know what to expect. I know better now and will have an understanding next year or have someone else do it.

Thanks

kcflhrc, a tip from my experience with having someone do your hay. What ever your deal, have them take there's as soon as their finished. Don't be the warehouse. lt190b

 

[kcflhrc]

kcflhrc, a tip from my experience with having someone do your hay. What ever your deal, have them take there's as soon as their finished. Don't be the warehouse. lt190b

We actually did have that discussion. When we moved in there was hay on the property, about 20 large round bales. The neighbor made it clear that it was his hay. I said great, then move it, he did? This year they removed it right after they baled it, unfortunately it was on July 4th when we had lots of company over and we were all outside and having to listen to that baler and all that crap was very annoying for our guests. I will make it clear that it wont happen again.

 

[charlz]

You can look at your local Craigslist to get an idea of what hay sells for in your area versus what you would have to spend to have it cut, fertilizer etc. If they really are putting down fertilizer then they are likely keeping the ground in good shape, not depleting it etc. Having to find a custom cutter, fertilize it yourself, deal with people on Craigslist 'tire kicking' your hay ("Would you say that is 75% grass/25%Alfalfa or 76% grass/24%Alfalfa?" ...) and wanting you to load it or deliver it or whatever along with no-shows can be time consuming.

 

[Sysop]

Traditionally in this area, first cut is ALWAYS 4th of July Weekend.

 

[brin]

When my brother bought his 40 acres, the previous owner had an arrangement with a neighbor for half the hay that he cut. When my brother talked to the guy about keeping the arrangement, he said that it wasn't worth it to him for only half the hay and he wanted all of it, which my brother declined. So now the hay fields have gone native and are more weeds then grass. He would have been better off to have the guy keep taking care of it for nothing since he didn't have the equipment to do it himself. Just the free mowing would be worth it to me.

Eddie

Eddie...I agree completely...I have a neighbor who asked to cut my pastures 2 yrs. ago...he fertilizes and cuts ,bales and takes the hay and bush hogs around other areas and keeps the pastures looking great...I told him I did not expect any payment...I was just glad to not have to bush hog anymore and my pastures not look great....

 

[KiotiKowboy]

USDA also keeps abreast of hay prices:

http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/ams...ndTransportationData&page=LSMarketNewsPageHay

 

[farmer2009]

I understand that you didn't like them baling on the 4th but remember the calendar means nothing if it's ripe and the sun is shining. You would be surprised how many people will loose a crop of hay because it's ready to bale on Sunday and set to rain Monday thru Thursday. Just because it's Sunday.

Sometimes we will leave hay in the field for a week or two because we have to move to another farm and keep bailing. Then when done we come back and haul it all in on our way back home. Doesn't do ally of damage as the grass come back. But have seen people make their second cutting around the bales of their first. I don't like that.

 

[ustmd]

In my county, the ag exemption would be worth way more $$$$ than any money you could make off of hay from sized property. I am talking a difference of an assessment of $8K-15K per acre (non exemption) vs <$1k exempt.

 

[MH8675309]

I understand that you didn't like them baling on the 4th but remember the calendar means nothing if it's ripe and the sun is shining.

I couldn't say it better but it's worth repeating. Just curious though - why would someone run a brush hog just for the sake of mowing 10 - 20 acre fields?

 

[kcflhrc]

One thing you have to remember is this is my property, not theirs. A courtesy call would have been the right thing to do to see if I had anything going on that day. Keep in mind I get nothing out of this deal, if I have to brush hog the highway frontage in front of my house to keep it looking nice then that's what I will do.