Gary Mitchell
Well-known Member
Several years ago I worked for a young lady that I really like and respect. I knew they were having a little bit of a tough time because her brick-layer husband was getting almost no work and was about out of unemployment. I understood that he was handy as a laborer so I had him do some work around our place for cash $, decent $ I might add. I'm a retired union person and figure I'd be a hypocrite not to pay good. He built some fence, poured some concrete floors, did some electrical wiring, which he claimed to be qualified to do; some plumbing, and so on. Most of what he did was "adequate" at best and was probably indicative as to why he wasn't getting jobs. However, in considering why I used him in the first place I let most of it go, had him repair a couple of things, and re-did one or two myself.
His father-in-law gave him a couple of old cows and in the mean time he rented our 20 acres of pasture, of which about 3 acres are timber. He grew his herd and lately ran 7 cows and a few calves. Rent gradually increased to $750 per year. He was to mow, repair fence with me furnishing any supplies or equipment. He fertilized lightly once, on him at his say so. He used our well and electricity for heat in his water tanks and I let him know to keep his hoses in my heated shop. (There is a pond too that never goes dry.)
In winter he fed big round bales always in the same spot. There was a big oak tree that he tied them too and drove out from under them. It became a lob-lolly and killed the tree. He was told that in the future to scatter the bales. On the subject of trees, he seemed to feel entitled to cut his fire-wood at will and when I asked him to get rid of some locust he refused due to the thorns.
Our pasture rent was due at the end of August. A few days before that he took all his animals while we were away. I didn't think too much about that because he did that from time to time to "work" them. A days after that his feeders, water tanks, etc. were gone when we got back from being gone for the day. We heard nary a word out of him. My wife had texted him earlier a time or two about getting the pasture mowed which got to be later every year until last year when I had to do it. No answer.
All the time that he had the pasture he never called or came to the house when he was here. If he had something to say, after driving w/i 15 feet of our back door, he would send a text as he drove away.
I'm pretty sour on the guy right now. Should I be? What kind of agreements are common regarding property management and maintenance on small acreage pasture rental? Hunting, wood harvesting, mowing, bad habits,,,,,, etc. Thanks for letting me spew. gm
His father-in-law gave him a couple of old cows and in the mean time he rented our 20 acres of pasture, of which about 3 acres are timber. He grew his herd and lately ran 7 cows and a few calves. Rent gradually increased to $750 per year. He was to mow, repair fence with me furnishing any supplies or equipment. He fertilized lightly once, on him at his say so. He used our well and electricity for heat in his water tanks and I let him know to keep his hoses in my heated shop. (There is a pond too that never goes dry.)
In winter he fed big round bales always in the same spot. There was a big oak tree that he tied them too and drove out from under them. It became a lob-lolly and killed the tree. He was told that in the future to scatter the bales. On the subject of trees, he seemed to feel entitled to cut his fire-wood at will and when I asked him to get rid of some locust he refused due to the thorns.
Our pasture rent was due at the end of August. A few days before that he took all his animals while we were away. I didn't think too much about that because he did that from time to time to "work" them. A days after that his feeders, water tanks, etc. were gone when we got back from being gone for the day. We heard nary a word out of him. My wife had texted him earlier a time or two about getting the pasture mowed which got to be later every year until last year when I had to do it. No answer.
All the time that he had the pasture he never called or came to the house when he was here. If he had something to say, after driving w/i 15 feet of our back door, he would send a text as he drove away.
I'm pretty sour on the guy right now. Should I be? What kind of agreements are common regarding property management and maintenance on small acreage pasture rental? Hunting, wood harvesting, mowing, bad habits,,,,,, etc. Thanks for letting me spew. gm
