Partnering On Hay Equipment - Small Acreage

[runningm]

Does anyone have any thoughts or recommendations on the idea of partnering with neighbors on haying equipment for small acreage? Can this work well or is it a bad idea?

 

[mfreund]

If you both have about equal acres and can work together to use the equipment during the busy time it might work. You both are going to have to trust the other. Depending on how close you live, might not be worth it.

 

[Farmer495]

I would not do it unless you plan to do ALL of your haying together and you have same acreage and time committment, even then I'd like the "my tractor and mower" "your tractor and baler" "my tedder" "your rake" method.

If you are very small acreage and can afford not to be haying while the other guy is using the machine you might be ok, but who's hay comes first?

Of course, when you go to get the machine, the other guy broke it or has it an hour away from you.

My philosophy is more than one person can't own something or it spells trouble at some point.

 

[zzvyb6]

This has never worked for the folks I know who tried it. Lawn mowers, even. The reasons are many: I need it now. Who broke it ? Who will change the oils? Who will change the rake teeth? Who has the tools to make routine maintenance easy?

How do I get out of the arrangement ?

Where will it be parked or stored ? I loaned it out to my brother in law in Terra del Fuego. He promised to bring it back by last week.

 

[Deerherd]

Does anyone have any thoughts or recommendations on the idea of partnering with neighbors on haying equipment for small acreage? Can this work well or is it a bad idea?

Don't do it. Partnerships ALWAYS fail or end, it's just a matter of time. Best case scenario is the equipment gets bad before the partnership. Haying equipment like most farm equipment, sets idle most of the year. Invariably somebody dies, gets a divorce, gets ornery, sells out, gets foreclosed on, lazy etc and things fall apart quickly.

Who's going to store it, maintain it, insure it etc? Rest assured whomever's barn it's stored in will promptly burn to the ground. Or they will die and their heirs and their attorneys, Fester, Carbunckle and Boil will spend a couple haying season's sorting it out.

The only partner I would even consider is a bank or other financial institution to secure the funds needed to purchase the equipment myself. Then if you were so inclined you could do your neighbors haying around your schedule for a fee.

 

[KiotiKowboy]

Sounds like a friendship that will end soon

 

[Bigfoot62]

I agree with all of the above replies.

I've been "partnered" in a couple ventures. (all small ones) A lawn mower that I shared with my Uncle next door. He lived in a mobile home on my land. Worked pretty good until the day that he decided to sell it without asking me.

And, a pressure washer. Three way split between me and two cousins. It's worked just "so-so." But, most of the time, when I really need it, I have to go find it. I actually have it in my shop right now, but only because the cousin that usually keeps it is gone on a trip. Bottom line, if I had it to do over again, I wouldn't. I'd just wait until I could afford my own.

Just my :2cents:

 

[runningm]

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[Farmer495]

So I take it you are going to go out and partner on hay gear now

 

[runningm]

Lol! I wasn't so hot on the idea to begin with but I thought I would at least ask