Grass Keep

[Shepherdess1]

Apologies for the long post...So I rent 40 acres of grass (all year round) a couple of miles from the farm so quite handy, for sheep grazing. I have a further 14 acres from the same people as grass keep from April 1st until October 31st. I take the sheep off mid September though as don't want to tup any there. Once the sheep come off they would turn their 4/5 ponies out onto this field for a couple of months. After the sheep were off in 2019, about a dozen horses appeared and stayed until March 31st. You can imagine the mess with how wet it was and the feeding of haylage bales although this was done in one corner of the field. It was like a ploughed field. Had a word with them explaining that it wasn't too good and that surely they couldn't expect the full rent...they couldn't see my problem! In the end agreed on a third rent reduction. Through the summer approx 70% of the field came up in thistle which we topped. Fast forward to November last year and the number of horses increased to 15, they are still on the field and hopefully being moved this week. They have put bales of haylage out in 16 different places across the whole field! Am I unreasonable in saying I'm not paying for it this year?? The problem is I don't want to lose the 40 acres!

 

[CopperBeech]

People with horses.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Can't you rent it over the winter as well by offering more

 

[Shepherdess1]

Can't you rent it over the winter as well by offering more

No, apparently these horses are from a charity and their contribution is wintering them

 

[le bon paysan]

Charity starts at home, you're paying them so that they feel good. Let the field go if you can. You may have formed a tenancy if not on a 364.

 

[Henarar]

Apologies for the long post...So I rent 40 acres of grass (all year round) a couple of miles from the farm so quite handy, for sheep grazing. I have a further 14 acres from the same people as grass keep from April 1st until October 31st. I take the sheep off mid September though as don't want to tup any there. Once the sheep come off they would turn their 4/5 ponies out onto this field for a couple of months. After the sheep were off in 2019, about a dozen horses appeared and stayed until March 31st. You can imagine the mess with how wet it was and the feeding of haylage bales although this was done in one corner of the field. It was like a ploughed field. Had a word with them explaining that it wasn't too good and that surely they couldn't expect the full rent...they couldn't see my problem! In the end agreed on a third rent reduction. Through the summer approx 70% of the field came up in thistle which we topped. Fast forward to November last year and the number of horses increased to 15, they are still on the field and hopefully being moved this week. They have put bales of haylage out in 16 different places across the whole field! Am I unreasonable in saying I'm not paying for it this year?? The problem is I don't want to lose the 40 acres!

No not unreasonable
Sounds like it is no longer worth having

 

[Al R]

Pay per head on that field alone and they might realise that it’s stocking a lot less stock. 4-5p/day/head, as an average for you to start from, productive land will be stocked at 4-6ewes/acre including lambs from March-August, maybe more on young leys

 

[Derrick Hughes]

If they care so little about their land and the farmer who uses it in the summer I would look elsewhere

 

[Further a field]

I had some land previously used for horses I paid no rent for it but over the five years I had it got it back it to good shape...they have let it for horses now...its taken a mere 5 weeks for them to make it a sh!t hole again!!

 

[Henarar]

I had some land previously used for horses I paid no rent for it but over the five years I had it got it back it to good shape...they have let it for horses now...its taken a mere 5 weeks for them to make it a sh!t hole again!!

nothing like nig nags and their owners to ruin land

 

[farmerclare]

Don't get involved with horsey people over grazing. It isnf worth the hassle as I found out recently.

 

[hally]

Horsey people and farmers don’t mix imo.

 

[andybk]

only good thing larrys men did was reduce the horse population , all a waste of space , horses and ruminants dont mix well , time to give it up , they care little for your rent

 

[delilah]

One thing I will say in favour of horses is that sharing several fields in rotation/ co-grazing with them they do seem to reduce the worm burden. (That is from a position of not paying rent on those fields though, not sure I would pay to have to share with horses) .

 

[Frank-the-Wool]

Why not offer to try to tidy it up a bit for them. Say you could roll it and top the thistles and pay the same or a little less for the 40 acres.

 

[Shepherdess1]

Why not offer to try to tidy it up a bit for them. Say you could roll it and top the thistles and pay the same or a little less for the 40 acres.

I honestly don't think they're bothered...they have no concept of grass management. After the mess of last year I said I'd roll it and spray it but not pay any rent...the reply was no they'd rather have the money! When I said I'd probably have to reconsider whether I wanted the field any more, they implied that if I wanted to keep the 40 acres I had to have this!

 

[CopperBeech]

I honestly don't think they're bothered...they have no concept of grass management. After the mess of last year I said I'd roll it and spray it but not pay any rent...the reply was no they'd rather have the money! When I said I'd probably have to reconsider whether I wanted the field any more, they implied that if I wanted to keep the 40 acres I had to have this!

“The wrong people own the countryside”

Very very true words ......

 

[Tarw Coch]

I honestly don't think they're bothered...they have no concept of grass management. After the mess of last year I said I'd roll it and spray it but not pay any rent...the reply was no they'd rather have the money! When I said I'd probably have to reconsider whether I wanted the field any more, they implied that if I wanted to keep the 40 acres I had to have this!

There you have it, you have effectively had a rent rise on the other 40 acres. Is it still worth the money, can you manage without it, can you find land elsewhere?
I suspect the answer is they’ve got you for now but if it’s not on you’ve got to consider your options for the future be that reduced stocking or land elsewhere.

Having rented plenty of land on short term agreements in the past, I now take the attitude I’d rather buy another 10 acres than rent another 100.

 

[egbert]

I honestly don't think they're bothered...they have no concept of grass management. After the mess of last year I said I'd roll it and spray it but not pay any rent...the reply was no they'd rather have the money! When I said I'd probably have to reconsider whether I wanted the field any more, they implied that if I wanted to keep the 40 acres I had to have this!

you're now doing them quite a favour, giving them some rent, and using your sheep to set the pace back in order.
I'm not sure how you point them to what will happen if no-one puts sheep/cattle on ....IE the pasture will go to ratsh1t.
(it's surprising how little ruminant grazing can straighten out the 'poo-pile/eaten bare' mess of 100% equines).

We can't call it for you...are there alternatives if you pull out?
Is the rent already steep?
etc

 

[Fendt65]

away!