Let a neighbor use my field to grow corn?

[RobA]

What is the downside to letting someone grow corn on my poorly producing hay field if he would plow it after the harvest and reseed it with a hay mixture?

Long story: I have an Amish neighbor who has been haying a 5-acre field of mine. The quality of the hay is not that good and I have been letting him keep all of it. The loose arrangement we have is that together we would improve the soil, reseed and split the hay next year when the quality and quantity improved. We have horses but are not looking to use any of the hay until we move to the property and build a new barn - probably next year. Recently he arranged to have about 20 truck loads of mushroom soil dumped on the field.

Yesterday he had a proposition for me:
- he would have the mushroom dirt spread
- he will kill the existing grasses/weeds with Roundup
- he would plant corn for this season
- after he harvests the corn he would plow the field adding more mushroom dirt to further improve the soil (he gets it free from local mushroom farms)
- after plowing he would smooth the field and reseed with a hay mixture
- we would split the hay after he starts to harvest it
- he does all of the cutting and baling (I have no equipment and no desire to buy it or do the haying)

I don't mind if he gets all of the corn from this years planting. I have no interest in charging him rent for use of the field. My goal is to get the field to produce better and more hay after we move there. He's been using the hay for his cows but would use the new hay for his horses.

Any thoughts?

 

[RickB]

Do it. There is no better way to get a decent hay crop than to rotate out of hay, and back in. It is a win-win deal.

 

[groundcover]

That sounds good or just get Unkle Sam to pay you 100's of thousands not to grow corn!

I grew up in that part of the state, some of the most productive non-irrigated farm land in the country from what I was told. last time I was back most of the fields I remember are covered by houses !

 

[sixdogs]

If it was an Amishman from around here I'd say go for it.
For a regular guy looking for 225 bushel corn out of your grounds' stored nitrogen, I'd say maybe.

 

[flyingcow]

Sounds good. The only thing I would be wary of is him smoothing up the field. As you know, good hay ground also consists of very smooth, rock free ground. His smooth ground, may not be the same as your smooth ground. just a thought

 

[smstonypoint]

Just my :2cents:.

Some here recommend having land rental agreements in writing. But if you trust the farmer, I don't see any problems with proceeding based on a handshake.

I was curious about mushroom compost and found this link. Mushroom Compost. It appears to be an effective organic soil amendment.

If corn prices don't tank and you get decent weather, this looks like a win-win situation for you and the farmer. He gets a corn crop this year, and you both have the prospects of improved hay quality in the future.

Steve

 

[smstonypoint]

Just a brief follow up.

Penn State provides a prototype enterprise budget for establishing orchardgrass/timothy hay. http://extension.psu.edu/agronomy-guide/cm/tables/table1-12-8.pdf

Based on that info, the variable establishment costs are $237/acre. Of course, those costs are estimated and will vary from farmer to farmer. I don't anything about cash rents in your area, but I suspect they are considerably less than $237/acre.

Steve

 

[RoyJackson]

Just beware of "Adverse Possession".

 

[DAY]

Is he farming with horses? Does he use chemical NPK? (mushroom soil is approx 1-1-1, and not nearly enough to grown corn) Is he also spreading sewage sludge? A lot of the Amish/Mennonite farmers here in Berks Co use it, and there are issues of harmful residue. you NOT want that stuff in your soil!
Will he plant it in alfalfa or timothy for hay?
Make friends with your Extension Service!

 

[Transit]

Have you done a soil analysis to know where the NPK, ph and micro nutrients stand? You could be taking more out than is being put into the ground. One quick way to evaluate the soils health is, are there any worms? Maybe plant a green manure crop and let the field stay fallow.