Talk to me about sharecropping arrangements

[mg]

I’m entering into a contract on a property with ~30 acres of maintained hay fields. The sellers’ son is the one who has been maintaining and haying the fields and he is interested in continuing to do that. This is great for me because he’s already familiar with the fields, it saves me the hassle of looking for someone new to do it, and the fields remain cared for. I am told the fields produce approx 1200 bales per cutting.

What are the types of hay sharecropping arrangements you have had? I’m not looking to make money, I would just like to get some hay out of the deal and not have the burden of maintaining the fields myself. I want to make sure I’m being fair but also not being swindled. TIA!

[Luseride]

Prices and or shares are going to vary greatly due to location. A great place to start is your local Extension agency or if your high school has a Young Farmer Teacher. They get paid to know the procedures for your local area.

[2DogsFarm]

As long as you don’t expect a profit, will the fields supply enough hay for your horses?

I have a sort of sharecrop arrangement with my hayguy neighbors.
They cut & bale the L-shaped area surrounding my barn, indoor, pastures & part of my acreage (a mere 5ac total).
In a good year they get 150 small squares off that.
I get a civilized-looking property.

They sell what they bale, but keep me supplied with the 300 bales my herd of 3 requires annually from other fields they lease. Delivered & stacked.
I pay a ridiculously low amount per bale & often my checks remain uncashed for months.

I also let them store loaded wagons in my indoor.
As many as 7, including 2 huge cage wagons & I still have 1/2 to 2/3 of my 60X120 indoor to use.

[mg]

@2DogsFarm

As long as you don’t expect a profit, will the fields supply enough hay for your horses?

Yes. I require ~950 bales annually for my small herd (preferably 350 1st, 600 2nd). I would be amiable paying a fair, reduced amount for the hay. I understand and value the investment and hard work haying requires!

[2DogsFarm]

I’d imagine the guy currently making hay off your fields should agree to that.
Hope it is an agreeable solution for you both

[fordtraktor]

it’s usually 50/50ish if the land plot is big (small ones often aren’t worth the hassle of getting the equipment there). 30 acres is a sizable lot. I should think you could get your 950 bales for free.

[McGurk]

60/40 split is common around here, with 60 to the farmer and 40 to the landowner. However, it can vary depending on who pays for seed, lime and fertilizer.

With small parcels of unimproved hay fields, farmers will cut and keep the hay; the landowner is happy if they sign the agricultural use certificate.

[BoyleHeightsKid]

I would love to find a deal like that… It would be so comforting to know I would never have to worry about hay!

[SMF11]

It is totally location dependent. Within 2 hours of NYC, where land prices are high and farmers are going out of business, I pay a slightly discounted rate for the hay grown on my farm. But – it’s stacked in my mow for free, and I am always first in line if I need more, and it’s a scarce hay year. I am good friends with the farmer that leases our land to grow hay.

[Marla_100]

My former boarding barn owner had a deal like this- 50-50, hay guy also fertilized the fields.
Central Florida area.

[McGurk]

I should have added that if the farmer is going to improve the field, that is, seed, lime and fertilize; they’ll expect some sort of guarantee or contract with the landowner that they will be able to continue to cut hay for X amount of years going forward. It will also change the share percentage.

[B-burg_Dressage]

Around my area it’s anywhere from 50/50 (if they farmer does a lot of work to make the hay nice like regular fertilizing and reseeding) to 1/3-2/3. I have also heard of the landowner pay a deeply discounted rate per bale (let’s say $1-2/bale instead of $4-5).

I trade out all of the hay produced for him fertilizing my pastures every year. He only does round bales, which I’m not interested in. I buy square bales from someone else.

[Jarpur]

Around here, it’s generally 50/50 split.

Depending on how much the field(s) can produce, some property owners make more money if they pay (with actual cash money) the farmer to do the work, and sell all of the hay (or the unneeded excess) themselves.

[TheJenners]

Around here, it’s generally 1/3-1/4 of the hay goes to the property owner. I have a guy cut hay on my place, he gets no joke 400 bales off about 3.25 acres. Last year he slid me $300 and I bought a grill

[appendix100]

We have ~20 acres that we hay. We fertilize, & irrigate, neighbor cuts, bales & stacks. We split 50-50.

[foggybok]

I have just paid the farmer for cutting, raking and baling. The cost is usually by the hour or acre for cutting and raking and by the bale for baling. It ends up costing me about $1.50 per small bale and $15 per large bale.