Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Pond Boss Finding someone to hay a field

Rob:

I have been a part of and aware of several hay sharecropping agreements.

Sometimes the landowner just gave away all the hay in exchange for getting the fields mowed. If the landowner has use for some hay, I have seen arrangements where they get as high as 1/4 of the bales.

I have been making hay on 2 fields totalling 8-10 acres next door for about 20 years now. The consideration provided for this privilege has evolved from 1) free, but I mowed off another field that wasn't fit to bale, 2) no extra mowing, but provided 100 fifty pound square bales of hay for the pony kept for the neighbors' grandkids, 3) renting the field for $200 per year (negotiated at the time from the nominal value of 100 square bales), to currently 4) no charge, but I provide evidence of maintaining the long-term health of the soil from fertilizing, liming, reseeding, etc. as needed. This current method encourages me to avoid "nutrient mining" and keeps the yields up for my own benefit; it is far and away the most expensive deal I have had for the land but the increase in hay quality and quantity is worth it to me. Long term haymaking without putting back nutrients does lower hay yields (and the value of the land, at least for haymaking) substantially over time.