ABandoned farm equipment on my land

Scenario is a verbal agreement between myself and another for him to cut hay on my place and he was going to take the hay for his cattle. It took him a long time (several months) to finally cut the hay and get it baled, during which he brought two tractors, a hay conditioner, rake, and round baler onto my property. It is now several months since he cut and baled the hay. He has moved both tractors off the property but left the other equipment on my property with the conditioner in the middle of the main road going back to where we are going to build a barndominium. Since he cut the hay he has also been unreachable by phone or text and has not answered any voicemails or text messages I have let him. I think he is just way too busy and doesn’t “need” the hay, but I want his stuff and the hay off my property. I know I can move the equipment myself with a drawbar hitch on my truck, but I also thought about renting a tractor with a hay spear and moving the hay (as much as possible, it’s several
Hundred round bales) and then moving the equipment in front so if he want the hay he needs to move the equipment.

What would you do in this situation? I am Considering a certified letter to his address, but only address I have now is from tax appraisal district and not sure if it is a good address. I know this will be the first and last time this guy cuts hay on my place.

Seeing as how he did bring equipment on property, cut & baled the hay, did you ever consider something may have happened to him. Personal problems, family problems, etc?? Did you have an understanding that he would move the hay and equipment within a certain time limit? He might think he could leave the hay until he sold it, or maybe his plans got fouled up. Maybe he wrote you a letter saying he had unexpected problems and you thought his letter was junk mail. Then again you may need to get serious about getting this problem resolved.

Turn the scenario around...how would you want to be treated? Follow that, and you will have no regrets.

Listen, I have no intent to just throw his equipment to the street or anything, but I do need it moved.

My thoughts were to rent a tractor with a hay spear, move as much of the hay as possible and stack it nice and neat, then move his equipment in front of it so if he wants the hay he will need to move the equipment.

Just didn’t know if anyone has ever dealt with this kind of thing before.

As a side note, I saw the hay guy’s dad at my place taking one of the tractors off, and he said they needed the hay and what not. I told him to tell his son to come get it, but week after week the hay just sits there.

Just sell the hay to somebody that picks it up. You can give him the proceeds when he shows up for equipment and call it done.

Send the certified letter to the address that you have requesting for him to contact you and follow up with the agreement you to had. Move the equipment if it's in your way.

Can you not send him a certified letter stating he has X days to remove his property and hay otherwise you will dispose of it or start charging a per day storage fee? Seems a bit much to have it all still sitting there.

This.

It sure sounds frustrating to have it just sitting there. You'd be fine moving the equipment out of your way costing just your time and gas. Maybe he had a problem or misunderstood the agreement.

If he is ignoring you. It might not be a good idea to have him cut it again.

Sounds like something bad happened to him, go to his house, in person.

If you say you can move it, move it.

His problem then.

If you chose to be a little nicer, move it to his driveway.

I quit being nice along time ago when it comes to my land and family land. It's worth too much to mess around

Several people screwed that up for everybody years ago.

I've already been given the I am a meat hunter with no place to hunt story this year....I cut no slack anymore

Quick update: tried calling one more time, left yet another message that stated I needed his stuff off my place and in no uncertain terms if he didn’t move his hay off I would get rid of it. Was firm but not unfriendly.

He called back within 10 minutes and tried to be be super nice, said he would get his equipment and hay off and it was no problem to do so.....

Funny how quickly he returned the call when 3 months of previous calls and text messages went unanswered.

He is gonna have to find a different source of hay for next year.

With all this going on... are you looking for someone to hunt on your property for you?

Got that covered already, but thanks for asking

I guess next year someone else willl cut the hay.

Sounds like a good plan if you have no contact info. Have you heard from him since your last post?

Just curious as to what County you are located in? Maybe someone here could help you avoid the tractor rental.

Carter county Oklahoma.

As of now, he moved off his mower and rake, the round baler is still there, as is all the hay. Doesn’t make any sense to me. I did get in touch with him a couple weeks ago and he said he would move it off, but he only
Moved two pieces of equipment. I get that he is a busy man, but from what I know he is 300 head of cattle that depend on this hay. It has been pretty brown up there for a bit now...so I wouldn’t think he would need the hay.

Weird.

Yeah, that is weird.

I would suggest you contact your local sheriffs office and talk to the sheriff or chief deputy, they probably know the guy and could help? Maybe he knows someone that would come get the hay and move the equipment? Just my $0.02