Sharing with Neighbor

[john_bud]

Seems to be pretty unanymous. I'll not approach him about it, but may be open to it if he brings it up.

John Bud, I don't understand your post? are you impleying that if I borrow his plow he can then "plow" my wife? I don't see the connection?

I'm pretty much in agreement with most comments here, but it does say alot about the world we live in.

I didn't actually finish my thoughts on that post, shouldn't answer the phone when doing important things like TBN'ing....

If you don't mind loaning out stuff that someone will use, abuse and not be there when you need it, then go for it. Me, I don't loan out my toothbrush. I also don't loan out my tractor or equipment. In the past I have loaned out a large self propelled snow blower to help out a recent transplant from the south. This was a heavy pig of solid American steel. He broke the drive axle. 1" steel rod, snapped in half. It took two of us to load it, he claimed to have ramps at home to unload, but he just pulled if off the back of the truck and it fell onto one wheel and snapped the axle. Nice. Never said anything and I didn't find out it was broken until the next snow. Nice. He never owned up to the deed, but his wife did say in passing that she thought he should have used the ramps. Nice.

But, don't take me for a curmudgeon. If a neighbor needs something, I drop everything and go over and help do it. But, I go with the equipment and the equipment comes back with me. There is always one exception to every story and indeed there is one neighbor that is welcome to borrow any equipment I have. But, he typically returns it in better shape than when he borrowed it. He also doesn't typically say that he fixed anything either, just does it.

 

[Willl]

I wouldn't do it myself.

If worse comes to worse, what ya going to do ?, move ?

 

[MrJimi]

They name streets after my neighbors

ONE WAY
DEAD END

 

[EddieWalker]

For awhile there, it seemed that everybody I knew wanted to borrow something. I have what I have because I want it and need it. I don't want to have to go find it, fix it, or be suprised by what's happened to it.

When asked if they could borrow something, I say sure, just give me the cash for what it would cost to replace, and I'll return it to you when you bring it back just like it was. It seems like a fair offer. All they have to do is return it just like they say they will, in the condition they borrow it it.

So far, not one person has agreed to this.

Eddie

 

[wrangler6831]

+1 with CURLY. We have had our farm for 37 years. We loan and borrow implements from neighbors and friends alike and have never had any problems. If I break something I fix it and I'm positive its cheaper to fix an item rather than buy new. There have been several times that we couldn't have completed a job without the help of friends and neighbors. Even as we speak our neighbor is running about 35 head of black angus cows on our farm. No written agreement whatsoever, just a handshake. We were talking the other day about renting a dozer and he said you know where mine is come and get it. The neighbor on the other side of us had his IH Cub and his JD buried about a month ago and I took our Zetor down to pull them out and in doing so also got hung up. Went to a good friend that has a construction company to see if he would come and pull us out. He said the JD 590 is already loaded just take it, use it and bring it back. We got all 3 peices out and returned it in about an hour and we offered to pay but he said don't worry about it I might need a favor from you one day. I'm glad I live around these kind of people, I might get burned one day but I think the rewards are worth the risk.

 

[sandman2234]

I have a small list of friends that I would loan my tractor to, if they needed it. Most of those could also borrow my wife, and I would know what they intended on doing with her, like getting a good home cooked meal (wife likes to cook) I don't loan her out for anything else.
That short list of friends are the kind of people everyone needs as a neighbor. I wish they lived closer, but they can come over and play anytime they want. Good friends are hard to find, and when you find one, they are worth taking a risk on.
The list of friends that could borrow an implement is slightly longer, as usually they don't cost nearly as much to fix as the tractor does.
I was surprised when my neighbor to the rear of me offered to let me borrow his tractor because I needed to load some dirt and his has a loader on it. Said the keys were in it, and it's parked in the barn, come get it when you want. I called him on his cell to confirm that it was ok to borrow it, and he got kind of indignant. He said I told you the keys were in it, just go get it and bring it back when your done. I borrowed it, kept it fueled up, washed it and took it back every night so it could sleep at home. I moved the dirt I needed done immediately, and then went to work on building a bucket for my boom mower. I loaded the rest of the dirt with that, so I wouldn't have to use his tractor.
David from jax

 

[Rara Avis]

I'm with Solo...

There are three people that use my hay equipment, ME and the two other farmers that have baled my property when I was laid up with a F/x arm from a fire call...

My next farm over neighbor has borrowed my drag harrow, but that is bullet proof...

I normally go when my equipment is needed, but I'm the one that uses it...

Heck...one year I loaned one of my hay fields out to a dairy farmer who was short of hay...he chopped it two more times that year...

 

[curly]

Tony is talking about a trade situation with a neighbor...not a loan to every deadbeat on the street program. Trading puts both side at risk...that's where taking the chance can lead to a great trusting relationship.

BTW, it's not a casual decision...and there are many folks I would not lone my stuff to either.

 

[Texas Dodge]

If it's gonna break, then it'll break when you borrow it. I feel better knowing the gear is mine to break and fix.

I second that notion

 

[Soundguy]

That just don't seem like sound logic to me.

If you paid for it and you break it, you fix it. If it's borrowed and you break it, you fix it, you just didn't pay to own it. So between the 2 of you, you save the entire value of the second duplicate item, whether it breaks or not.

I guess I'm more into building relationships with my neighbors than some of you folks...

Not all items are fixable.. or fixable at a cost less than a new replacement.

if you pretzle-ize a box blade.. heating and beating it back into shape and weldingthe broke arms back on it nd then dropping it off in your neighbors pasture as 'fixed' just isn't the kind of friend i want to be. if i borrowed a non broke non welded non bent up implement.. I'm returning the same.. except for maybee a SCRATCH or other reasonable expected wear on ground engaging points.. etc.

I like my neighbors just fine, and have told them if they need a tractor just let me know and I'll do my utmost to be there when they need me for as long as they need me... and as a bonus. the tractor will be with operator. i'll probably supply the fuel for most common jobs too... Same with my friends... need to borrow a tractor to mow their neglected back yard, or rip out an old fence line? Sure.. tell me when to show up and you spring for the donuts and pizza and we will BOTH get it done while I drive my tractor.

my guns stay within my eyesight, while in friends hands at the range.. and my wife and my tractor are only driven by me


Soundguy