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?
I grew up in West Grove. I'm in Montco now...