Lease a field for cows?

Murramarang · #1 04/26/12, 08:39 AM

Hi all

We have a local farmer would would like to put cows on 4 acres of our fields. The deal is we would get 10lbs of beef per acre. He would have to provide fencing etc...and the field has its own well for water.

What do I need to worry about with this sort of a deal?

Insurance?

Should i make up a contract/lease that covers things like :

1. They have to manage the cows...feed and water.
2. They are responsible for any damage done by their cows if they escape
3. That we can ask them to leave (a months notice) at our discretion

etc

Gary

JPiantedosi · #2 04/26/12, 09:40 AM

we lease a couple of pastures for sheep, and basically the pastures we lease are our responsibility once we have put our critters on it. we mend the fences and haul our own water and such. As near as I can tell there is little risk to the land owner. as far as insurance goes, maybe something to cover property damage if the cows got out, but that would be about it in my mind.

Jim

G. Seddon · #3 04/26/12, 09:58 AM

Whatever you end up doing, be sure to have a written (and signed) agreement specifying who is responsible for what, in case there's a problem later on.

myersfarm · #4 04/26/12, 11:04 AM

Insurance ...a piece of paper with a agreement ...might not work if the cows get out and several people get killed and have in the millions dollar law suit ....
wonder how much insurance would cost for a year ...

.If you know your cows are out as in if somebody calls you at work and tells you....and you wait hours before putting them back in ..if he works off the farm and can not take off work ...that law suit will cost a whole lot more

The deal is we would get 10lbs of beef per acre..so 40 lbs...how much hamburger

if it was STEAK at $7 a pound thats $280 ....on 4 acres thats seems a lot of rent money if it was hamburger and $3 a pound $120 would not be worth my time ...It might be yours but just somebody doing ...what they want with my land would get under my skin quick

bruce2288 · #5 04/26/12, 11:27 AM

I would get an understanding of how many animals of what class and for how long they will be in your pasture. My guess is that 4 acres in maine would be enough for 1 maybe 2 cows for the summer. You do not want your pasture to look as smooth as a pool table when pasture season is done.