OT-Fair Pasture Rent

I have six miniature Herefords--bull, three cows and two half-grown calves. My neighbor has about 32 acres of pasture and about five horses. I often help her. This spring I went to the local Co op, bought fertilizer, brought it to her place and spread it on her hay field. I also recently sprayed her pasture for broadleaf weeds. (She pays for fertilizer and chemical.) While spraying I noticed how much grass she has! It has been a wet spring here and she's got lotsa grass. I've talked to her about pasturing my "herd" at her place. She has a creek and tanks (ponds to Yankees) for water. What'd be a fair price to pay for pasture rent? kelly
 
What is fair is whatever the two of you agree on. That being said check with local extension office should get you in the ballpark.

Joe
 
Extension office is the last place I'd look for farming information on anything they're usually totally clueless.I'd be asking other farmers in the area,most of the hay land I get is just for
cutting it off and maybe a little bush hogging.
 
In my area of MO good improved pasture rents for $30-50 per acre....In Kansas my BIL pays $15 per acre where $20 is common..
 
Since you won't be the only one using the pasture and you may not be using it all season, a price per head per day would be the most fair to both parties. The type of grass, soil, weather, and climate will determine how many head the pasture can support each season. Your local extension service would be the best place to look for a baseline price range. From there anything you can agree on should work. Check into the value of your spraying and broadcasting services too and maybe barter them into the deal.
 
first question is does she have it ag exempt, most counties dont give ag exemption for horses unless its a breeding operation. So if you put your herd on her pasture she could apply for ag exemption and lower her taxes. I have several patures I use like that and do not pay lease.
 
You might actually be improving her pastures and horses. Horses are picky eaters, eating some plants to the ground while leaving other grass and weeds to go to seed. Horses leave "roughs" where they poop. A horse to cow sharing or rotation is helpful because cows eat the grass left by the horses and actually reduce the parasite load (worms) in the horses. If I had the proper fence, (I have 3 board plank which really does not work well for cows) I would get a few cows and rotate pastures.

I haven't answered your rent question, but I got good rent data from my county agent last year (area specific). I think the county agent knows more than the old guys sitting by the stove at the feed store. But they will answer your question, if you ask.
 

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