finished planting but not before the law was called on me

[PineRidge]

When I see a farmer working after dark the first thought in my head is "he's really earning his wage". Just like the the guy fixing the power line in a snow storm or the computer guy up at 2AM and working a 40 hour weekend.
When I see someone working long hours or under poor conditions, I'm just glad that today it's not me.

Tig I'm thinking the farmers out there working late to feed the many. Personally I'm thankful he's there, and not trying to sell off his land to some developer that will give him more than the farmer can make off the land anyway.

 

[LBrown59]

In the spring of the year we will start around 6 or 6:30 am. In the fall we try to start as early as the dew dries off with the combines but we are there getting things ready to go at 6 or so. As for fall tillage we start at 6 or 6:30.

I asked the when/what time do you start question cause I can't stand to be out in the heat so I do my tractoring in the early morning or late evening hours.
I'd like to start around 5.5 to 6 AM because by 9 or 10 am it gets to hot for me.
Evenings I usually start around 5 to 7 PM depending on how much the day has cooled off.
I don't want to be a pest to my neighbors and wonder if
any here feels the neighbors would have a justifiable reason to be offended by the noise/sound of the tractor during these hours of operating the tractor.

This is a country rural setting.

 

[CDsdad]

About 40 years ago around here, the cotton fields were mostly replaced by pine plantations. I'd much rather hear a tractor at 5 am or 10 pm, than a chainsaw, a skidder, a limber, and 5 log trucks running from 6 am until 5 pm. And farmers probably don't leave their garbage from meals and cleaning out the crew truck on the side of the road.

 

[deere755]

I never met to say screw the neighbors. They own their property and they have rights the same as I do. My only complaint is when someone moves to the country and wants the farmer to change his way of life. You hear about this all the time. Someone builds near a hog farm and then wants it shut down because of the smell. If you move to the country one thing you may have to deal with is a tractor running at all hours of the day in the spring and fall of the year. Don't ask me to work 9-5 because you don't like the noise.

 

[RollTideRam]

Just two days ago I heard tractors in the field behind my house. It was almost 8:00 pm. I took my 3yr old out on the porch so we could watch. They have bigger tractors than I have and little boy loves them. JC

 

[LBrown59]

I'd much rather hear a tractor at 5 am or 10 pm, than a chainsaw, a skidder, a limber, and 5 log trucks running from 6 am until 5 pm.

Come to think of it I know what ya mean.
They have been doing excavation work on a big hill directly across the road from me off and on for the past 3 or 4 years.
On the days they work they start as early as 5 am and quit as late as 9 PM.
So me and my neighbors get to listen for up to 16 solid hours to the dozer with it's clanking tracks The Back Hoe the Big yuke and we mustn't leave out the endless parade of dump trucks going in and out and their shrill squealing brakes as they descend the long steep hill with their loads as they leave the property.
It took them over 6 month to log and clear the trees before they got to the excavation part so I know what you're saying about the logging operation bit.
If my neighbors tolerate that just as I do myself I would say they shouldn't have any legitimate qualms about my whispering BXs that give them a 7 hour brake during the day.
I had forgotten about all this as I wrote my other post.
Thanks for your post.
It made me see things in a new light so now I feel better about putting my tractor to work bright and early.

 

[deere755]

Update

I went over this evening and mowed the road sides where the police were called the other evening. While I was mowing I saw the man out in the yard so I stopped and talked to him for a minute. I never said anything about the police being called. I explained why I worked so late and told him I was sorry for having to work so late. He replies with I don't want you working here any earlier then 7am or later then 8pm. I asked him why and he said that was plenty late enough. If him or his family are in the yard he wants me to stay away from the house so they are not disturbed. He also told me that if the police were not going to do anything about me working so late he would handle it himself. I said what do you mean by that. His reply was work late again and you will see. I just turned around and returned to mowing. As I was walking away he tells me he does not want the road sides mowed until fall. He is not the land owner of the farm land so I feel he has no say so in when the road side are mowed. Later I see him shooting tin cans with a pistol in the back yard. What a jerk. What should I do next. I have never had anyone act like this before.

 

[NuBota]

UNREAL! There is absolutely no hope for some people. I would definitely talk to the deputy over coffee about it - get his take. Sounded like a pretty blunt threat to me - even if it was pure bravado. Civil conversation about his request would have been warranted given you apologized - but this tool responds with an ultimatum. He would have learned that it is a rare instance and you, assumably, would have tried to consider them when feasible.

Seems like more and more of this type are becoming prevalent - that's why I'm looking for a huge plot of land. I have all great neighbors now but one - but it's enough to make things miserable sometimes

 

[aczlan]

He replies with I don't want you working here any earlier then 7am or later then 8pm. I asked him why and he said that was plenty late enough.
He also told me that if the police were not going to do anything about me working so late he would handle it himself. I said what do you mean by that. His reply was work late again and you will see. I just turned around and returned to mowing.
Later I see him shooting tin cans with a pistol in the back yard.

I second talking over the situation with a member of your local law enforcement and seeing what they have to say, I would also make a log with the date, time and what was said anytime you cross paths with him and if he starts shooting in the direction of the tractor (or into the field where you are working) I might call said local law enforcement down upon him to remind him of the finer points of gun safety (like not shooting where someone is working), I would suggest that you take a rifle along and return fire but, that could get messy.

If him or his family are in the yard he wants me to stay away from the house so they are not disturbed.

if possible why not do it??? I am certain they would appreciate not having the dust, etc from working in the field close to the house when they are outside, however if they consistently come outside as soon as you start working and stay there till you leave I would do that section of the field last (if it is possible and not too inconvenient to you), that way if it comes down to a lawsuit (and I hope it does not, but he sounds like he could be the type) you can say that you held off working that secition as long as possible.

I went over this evening and mowed the road sides where the police were called the other evening.
As I was walking away he tells me he does not want the road sides mowed until fall. He is not the land owner of the farm land so I feel he has no say so in when the road side are mowed.

I assume that you own/lease said farmland and mow all the roadsides along your fields to keep the weeds/brush down??? and have for years? if so I might make certain that your town highway dept is in accordance with you doing so (and they probably would be) and keep doing so.
seems somewhat strange to me that the highway department dosent mow the roadsides, but maybe that is just a new york thing.


Just my $0.02


Aaron Z

 

[Soundguy]

Ditto what the last 2 posts said. Log it.. and talk to a LEO. Past that.. I'd do anything within my legal rights.. and if he gets weird... let the badges deal with him.

soundguy