Ever feel like a pain in the neck to your neighbor? I have a nice retired farmer who gladly cuts and bales my hay for me on about 3 acres of land. Well, now 6 more acres of good hay has been given to me for free. Problem is, my farm is so small I don't own a tractor or anything. I have to ask or rent equipment. I offered half to him but he has so much left from last year, he doesn't need it. I will pay him for his time and gas but I feel guilty even asking. What would the rest of you do in this case? There is another farmer but he has a big farm and is always working - I hate to ask them! Doesn't really pay to go out and buy all the equipment for only a few hundred bales of hay a year, does it? All the auctions I've been to - the tractors, etc. are still very expensive! My neighbor was always glad to do it but am afraid this added land will make him feel like I'm taking advantage of him. Need advice!!

-- Pat (pmikul@pcpros.net), August 29, 2000

Answers

As long as you offer to pay him the prevailing local price for putting square bales on the ground I don't see where he would be offened. He would be making some income to offset equipment cost.

-- Ken S. in TN (scharabo@aol.com), August 29, 2000.

Perhaps you could explain the situation to him, telling him how much you appreciate his help in the past, and that you would be willing to pay him for this "new" acreage, but that you want him to feel free to refuse. Because you understand that he has demands on his time and has his own life to lead.

If he agrees to do it, you won't have to feel guilty; if he doesn't want to do it, he won't have to feel guilty or "put upon". If he doesn't want to do it, perhaps he would be able to suggest someone that would be interested. This is a long shot, but perhaps he has a teenager that is able to do the work and would appreciate the money, if dad is willing to let him/her use the equipment? Or if you can run the equipment, would he be willing to rent it to you for the cutting?

Hope some of this is helpful!

-- Joy Froelich (dragnfly@chorus.net), August 29, 2000.

By all means, ask him but do be sure to put it on a basis of his convenience, paying him the going rate or a little better, and be sure he knows you won't be upset if he declines. If he's been doing this kindness for you and you go to someone else without asking him, you could inadvertently hurt his feelings. Some of the older farmers around us are wonderful curmudgeons who do require a little kid glove handling once in a while. I can't imagine their being much different in your neck of the woods.

-- marilyn (rainbow@ktis.net), August 29, 2000.

Hi Pat, never had a hay field, but once managed an apartment building that didn't have a snowblower, save for 2 tired boys! The neighbor had a snowblower! He wouldn't take a dime for blowin us out, but he sure liked my lasagna! He was retired, didn't have much else to do and was happy to help his neighbors. So, I stopped offering money, and showed up at his door with home cooked meals once and awhile, he never refused. Worked for us both, or shall I say all, as the boys were happier than anybody!

-- Kathy (catfish@bestweb.net), August 29, 2000.

The neighbor just finished our hay field yesterday. We only have goats on half of the 12 acres, rest needs fencing, and we just gave it to him to do it. Here is costs as much to have someone do it for you as to buy it. My field is fescue and I can buy beautiful square bales of grass hay (no fescue) for $1.25 each. No way would my field hay be that quality untill we work on it more. And the fertilizer is WAY expensive, like $500.00 for 6 acres. Lime (twice a year) would be $200.00. If the field was in alfalfa and clover it would be worth it to pay someone. How far away is the hay from the neighbor? That makes a big difference. Our neighbor got 10 big round rolls off of 6 acres here. We have to have it cut and taken away to keep the field clean so we can keep on seeding it more. Good Luck, and compare the quality to what your cost is going to be in the end.

-- Cindy in KY (solidrockranch@msn.com), August 30, 2000.

Believe me, if he needed the profit, he would ask ! We do ask for half but we also don't always get to sell it. Just continue to be fair and it will all work out.

-- Joel Rosen (Joel681@webtv.net), August 31, 2000.

Well, I talked on the phone with the farmer who is going to cut the field for me but I could tell by his tone that he isn't too thrilled about it. I gave him a couple chances to back out if he wanted to. I just hate depending on someone else for this. The company that rented hay bailers last year doesn't rent them this year. If I buy ALL my hay then that would get really expensive - especially for the long winters in Wisconsin! Gonna watch the auctions and see if I can pick up something reasonable. Moments like this that I ask myself why I am homesteading. Don't have enough land, don't have the equipment I need, the other farmer won't sell a 2 acre piece to me out of his 1,000 acres, etc. Sorry I sound so negative but this is frustrating! Will continue to look also to relocate to something that would meet our needs more. The kids hate the thought of moving but as our herefords grow in number we will need more land. Thanks for the listening ear and the advice!

-- Pat (pmikul@pcpros.net), August 31, 2000.

Hi, Pat. I have a neighbor like your neighbor. Last year, he baled the ditch hay (that the county mowed) for us for about $0.18 a bale. The hay was poor, but it was practically free. I fed out alfalfa, too. This year, he baled our field (about 100 bales) and wouldn't take a penny. He took a dozen eggs and acted offended that I wanted to pay him. (Pity, I fear, since this is a one-parent household). Now it needs to be mowed again. So, I'm in your quandry.

I have resolved to pay him (overpay him, to make up for last time, too) or leave it uncut. If he suggested a swap that seemed fair, that would be even better. I don't think my lasagna is worth 100 bales, though!

-- Rachel (rldk@hotmail.com), August 31, 2000.

we let a farmer across the street use 2 ac. for hay its alfalfa he offered to pay rent on it we said no so we worked out a trade . the years its realy good we get 1/2price on a side of beef and a few grass bales for our animals, bad years we just take enough for our own use he keeps the rest. we get what we need and so does he. we figure its his time, machines and seed and all and he helps us cut down on our work so if he makes a profit we are happy. this year he was able to beat the rain on all his cutting except1and still has 1 more to be done. the slaughter house called me to fill out the cut page on a whole steer, thats a realy nice neighbor.

-- renee oneill (oneillsr@home.com), August 31, 2000.

Pat, liked the answer about being honest with him and just speaking your mind, I think most folks appreciate that, this will also give him the opportunity to speak his mind and perhaps even say no. The biggy with me is that I really don't mind doing for my neighbors/friends , but why do they not do for me? Make sure that the only relationship you have with this guy, is not in just you asking for things. After this is all over with perhaps every couple of months or so do something for him. A pie? Anything! Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), August 31, 2000.

i would advise talking to him and asking if he isn't able to if he knows of any custom farmers who have to hire out themselves and equipment to make it pay. i would also expect to pay a premium price due to the size of your area to be bailed. i would also suggest what ever the outcome that an extra dozen cookies or what ever when you are baking be sent over just to let your neighbor know that besides his friendship you value his help. gail

-- gail missouri ozarks (gef123@hotmail.com), September 01, 2000.

18 cents a bale? To cut and bale? That must just pay for the string! Here it is $1.25 a bale IF you can beg someone to do it. And then your hay comes LAST. It will lay out there for days getting wet and then hot while they get their hay in first. When I told him my hay was ruined he said "well OUR alfalfa is most important than your hay", At $1.25 a bale! We made them take it away with them and now we just give it to some nice GOAT neighbors who sell it to cattle farmers. Hay fields are FREE everywhere here. That is why they charge you for what they could sell it for. A person could make a living with just hay equipment, trailors, and somewhere to store it. A real good living and off for the winter! That is something ELSE we want to do someday.

-- Cindy in Ky (solidrockranch@msn.com), September 01, 2000.

Ah yes, hay....my neighbors and I share getting hay in, too! We have it delivered together! This year, nice grass/alfalfa hay is going for something like $165/ton...what's that? $8.00 and change for a square bale? If you get a good deal, you can even have it delivered for that price. Folks can't get small acreage baled around here. I tried for a number of years when we first got here, and had less sheep and more grass. Totally flat ground, easy access from the road. Nope, nobody wanted to earn some easy money...

We also have bought a tractor with our neighbors; share fencing; trade farm chores and critter sitting when we go on vacations; trade garden surpluses; etc. Soon we are going to make cider together. The neighbor on the other side of us is clearing more land, and gives us trees for firewood in exchange for skidding them out. We built her an attractive roadside mailbox stand as a sort of thank you.

Having good neighbors is so nice to have. It will be the hardest thing to do someday when we have to move away from them. BTW, we just ask for help, and they do, too. Sometimes we try to use good judgement in our timing, that's all.

-- sheepish (rborgo@gte.net), September 01, 2000.

We have people running ads during prime hay season that they will bale hay for you for a small fee. Some will take hay instead of actually payment. If not, post an ad in the newspaper for someone to do it.

I dont see an issue asking my neighbor. As long as your tackful in doing so all he can say is no.

-- Gary (gws@redbird.net), September 05, 2000.