OT: lost some rental ground today...

I'm curious, do any you guys go around and try rent ground that you know someone else is tending?? Not a happy camper right now...

No. Not much of that goes on around here. The big dairies are fighting over buying it all up! I have mentioned to one of my landlords, that if their cousin, whose land gets planted about half of the time, ever gets tired of it, to let me know.

No, we don't, but we have a very unliked neighbor that does! Funny thing is, he tells everyone (even though everyone knows better) that he wants to farm it, yet he doesn't do any farming. He tries to rent ground away from people, then sub-let it to whoever he has conned into renting his own land at the time, for a higher price. Everyone around here knows his tricks though, he's been trying them for years, never been successful though. He won't give up though lol.

Ross

Pretty rampant here. That is only part of the problem as a lot of the landlords are every bit the mercenary the tenants are. If asked to bid you don't how your bid will stand up if somebody else is putting a substantial amount under the table and so forth.

I wouldn't think that would be a good long term business plan. I always figured your good reputation is your best asset - it does stink to lose ground though
You might do better to talk to whoever is renting it now - let them know you're interested if they ever want to give it up.
Pete

centeral ohio ....happins all the time SHUCKERS&MOVERS will rent farms out from underneath you in a heart beat, land owners go for the money they offer and your are left with out farm ground. I farm to make money, they rent ground for 225.00 per ac, the ground around here is not worth that 40-50 beans 130-160 corn

In Iowa we have SOME protection in that you have to send notice of termination before Sept. 1st. for the next year. Here is a short summation of that:

"A farm lease automatically continues from year to year unless a notice of termination is given by either party. Under Iowa law, the lease termination notice must be properly served by September 1, prior to the end of the lease year. The termination notice must fix the termination of the tenancy to take place on the following March 1. If notice is not served, the lease continues for another crop year upon the same conditions as the original lease."

Now that still does not stop land being rented out from under you. The owner can have another farmer lined up for his ground BEFORE he sends you a notice.

I do not think there is any such protections in Kentucky. You just are protected for the length of any written contract. They usually spell out any long term improvements like water ways or lime applications to be prorate if the contract is not renewed.

Land jumping is nothing "NEW" in the last ten years or so. The higher prices really brought out the jumpers around here. That is not going to happen much for the cash grain guys the next few years. I bet some of them HOPE somebody takes some of the HIGH priced rental ground away. I personally know of several farms that are renting for over $500 and acre for ONE years rent.

I had a piece for about five years. The prior operator had walked a way from it and the owner offered it to me. I limed, fertilized, eliminated a lot of weeds, and pushed back an area where a tree had fallen and hadn't been cleaned up. Well, the place was sold to a supposed buddy of mine. He had put my septic system in fifteen years earlier. He rented the house on the property to a local guy who had not enough money but six horses. The new tenant wanted the field but he said that he could see that someone was taking good care of it and he didn't want to "step on anyone's toes". So he and I talk it over and agree that I get two more years of first cut and he gets second and then it is his and I recoup what I have in it. So a few days after I spread my fertilizer my "buddy" stops by and says his tenant has it so that he will be in a better position to pay his rent on the house. So then I was out right after spreading my fertilizer. My "buddy" now loses out on pumping my septic tank.

What's hilarious about this is that it's not much ground...but it's real handy for me and pretty much nobody else. It's only about 10 acres, it's very poor ground, and in hay. Somebody has convinced the landlord that he'll make more money on ear corn(yes ear corn, as there's not a combine in the county and even if there was, it's not accessible. The landlord first told me he just wasnt going to rent it next year...then he let it slip that they were going to raise corn. The closest thing he has to a piece of equipment is a one year old cub cadet rider. Oh, and half this ground floods. And I don't mean back water. About a month ago 4 to 5 acres of it was under 3 or 4 feet of house moving water...I know it doesn't sound like I'm losing much, but around here, everything helps, and I had a good dependable market for what came off those fields...

Isn't that a fun one. I rented two pieces and a pasture that amounted to about 100 acres. I had never gotten along too well with the owner after he bought it from the longtime landlord. He came to me two years ago and said XXX (BTO) want to cash rent all but 30 acres of it. It was an amount way more than it was worth so I let him. The landlord wanted corn on his land (we were on shares) and I wouldn't do it. It wasn't corn ground and I told him that. So the BTO cash rents it and puts corn on it. They didn't even bother cutting the top third it was so bad. About half way through last winter the owner calls up beating around the bush and finally comes out and asks if I want to rent that pasture again as no one will. I told him absolutely not as it hadn't been sprayed and maintained and was a thistle mess as it was. It hasn't been rented two years now. I wonder if that all seems like a good idea now? I noticed this year there are beans on that corner. Except for that top terrace. There is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ON IT. I figure the hired man forgot after doing the headlands. That, or they learned how bad it was and decided it wasn't worth the seed. It looks really nice there right on the road across from the owner's driveway. It gives me sadistic glee every time I drive by it.

The owner called last summer and said the same BTO wanted to rent the 30 acres I kept for the same amount. I had put good starter on it so I sucked it up and cash rented it this year. I won't next year. It has an excellent crop of beans on it - about the best crop I have raised on that old hillside sandy dirt. That BTO can have it. He just keeps wearing out his welcome everywhere. I am sure the phone will ring in the next few years and I can tell the owner to shove it in his tailpipe. I can wait that long. In the meantime he best stop sneaking into my section to hunt.

Show crop I would recoup the fertilizer money. That would be fair and the LAW in most states. You have money invested in the land for the next crop. So that is am implied rental agreement.

There's a guy who runs a joke of a dairy farm who does that around here. He will give a sob story about how he needs more ground to feed his cows then plant corn and beans with no intention on using any of it for cow feed. They plant late harvest super late and pillage the ground. I don't think he has ever heard of a lime truck. After about 5 years of his half azzed version of farming the place usually has a good bit of thistle and golden rod. He'll snatch a piece of ground off you just as fast as you can turn your head and then lead the congregation in "how great thou art" on Sunday.

I don't do that. Our land base has grown, but landlords come to us, not us to them. I know, it sounds cocky. But it is true. And we've turned down more offers than those we've accepted.

Here's the deal... as a tenant, you'd better make good with the landlord. Answer the phone. Be responsible. Answer questions, and look out for them. At church. At school. At the town board meeting. They need t oknow who you are, and you'd better take good care of their land- keep weeds down, get a decent crop, and be conservation minded. If you do that, you have a leg up over those offering a quick buck. You still may not "win", but you did all you could.

And you will be a better citizen and neighbor for it.

coonie minnie It is not sounding cocky for telling the truth. My sons nor I have gone asking for ground. I have found if you do a good job, treat the land/landlord with respect, and live up to your word you will do alright in the long run. You will have landlords come to you and you will lose some to guys that try to hook and crook.

My sons have already been contacted about ground for next crop year. With the margins being REAL tight they will really do the pencil work BEOFRE anymore ground is rented. More acres that MAY lose money is NOT more fun.

Have you seen their big grain setup? They added a new bin this year. I think it is 500,000 bushels. Drive by it at least once a day. Was told they put everything in corn this year, 6500 acres.

(quoted from post at 19:58:01 08/17/15) Show crop I would recoup the fertilizer money. That would be fair and the LAW in most states. You have money invested in the land for the next crop. So that is am implied rental agreement.

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I know that I could, but I am trying to be the "good guy" I was angry when the owner first told me, but after I cooled off I called him up and told him that I would still say "Hi" when I ran into him. I need to keep a good standing in his eyes for when I get the chance to witness to him, and that is worth more than the money. Most of my ground has come from people coming to me.

WE see that here with 3 of the BTO's. Stab you in the back in a heartbeat. One hired one of my nephews and right away started telling him that he needed to get his dad to retire so they can rent his land.

Another, a relation to my wife, tried snaking me on a little bit, 7 acres of hay ground owned by my MIL. He didn't even go directly to her but to my BIL. Bet he won't do that again. I called him on it right in front of his dad who is a darn good man.

Rick

I would like to "drive by" that setup. What is the address?

I see that tactic quite a bit. BTO hires son of weak pigeon farmer to get the old man to rent out and also get intel on how to get the rest of the neighborhood. Once all that is done and secure the son is fired by the BTO.

A BTO and 7 acres of hay ground?

Why do you want to say hi to someone like that?

If it is like a lot of situations I have seen it is because he will probably need that ground back at some point to make a living. I talk to more than a couple of people I do not like because at some point I am going to need more ground to continue to operate. I am not an old man but the off farm job prospects are extremely poor here so despite being royally frustrated a lot lately I just have to keep pushing on.

Absolutely. Started out from scratch 7 years ago. Had to start somewhere. One field was a friends moms. People that were renting it weren't paying her anywhere close to what it was worth. When the son, my buddy approached them about it, they said it's not his land to worry about. I told them I'd like to get started farming and picked up my first field.

Another chunk was a small field. The feller was growing weeds taller than the crops. Wasn't organic either. Was a mile from the house so I called the land lord. He gave him the chance to match my offer and he couldn't.

Since then I've had people approach me. If i get a chance, I'll gladly take advantage of someone else's rude behavior or negligence.

I guess the 2 things that got me hot was the land owner telling me he wasn't going to rent it next at first, then letting it slip that they going to raise corn on it. Just be straight up and honest about it. And second, he never called me to complain about anything, to say he needed more, or anything. When I left his house he was still acting like they weren't going to rent it to anybody...guess he'll be planting that corn by hand...

To his credit he did tell me now, and not over the winter or in the spring. I've had the ground for over 10 years...just kinda stings, especially considering I didn't even get a chance to match offers or try to be it. It's seriously got me contemplating quiting entirely.

That's what I was wondering??

route 13 north end of by-pass at fredricktown ohio