Need help with over friendly neighbors asap!!!!!

[Anne]

I would say something along the lines of,

"Thank you for mowing our field, but I think I prefer the way it looks when it's left to grow naturally, so let's leave it from now on. I also thinking about what you said about cutting down the trees, and I realized I'm pretty attached to them and I'd rather not cut them down. By the way, I really appreciate your plowing the drive!"

You may want to consider the possibility that the overgrown field makes good shelter for animals that eat his crops. I know that for me, personally, when my neighbor lets their yard get out-of-control, it makes great shelter for rabbits, which in turn come into my yard and eat my garden.

 

[farmgirlie1031]

Ok, then if you own the land he has no right to mow if you don't want him to.

 

[ninny]

they dont have a veggie or flower garden. plus my cats kept the rodent population way down.

 

[patandchickens]

Afterthought: is it possible that the overgrown patch had plants in it that are problematic crop weeds? Such as thistle, bindweed, milkweed, etc (correct the list for wherever you live). It can be both a habit and an economic issue for farmers to try to suppress weeds like that growing anywhere near their crops. In fact in some places (at least), you are legally forbidden from letting certain state- or provincially-listed noxious weeds grow on a property near agricultural land.

I'm not saying he had any right to just go in there and mow, but it is not *totally* impossible that might've been some part of his "issue"? (I doubt it's the whole enchilada, but still...)

Best of luck,

Pat

 

[jjthink]

Quote:
This sounds good. If you need to or if you think it could help, you could also say there are some birds nesting in the field that you (and even some kids) are studying and you don't want the baby birds to get plowed under/mowed over (whatever.....). If your goal is for the land to return to a natural state and go into succession you can say so....pie in hand

JJ

 

[Becaco]

Is you place fenced where he can't get back there and mow.

Cutting one of my trees would be cause for war. Better make it very very clear that he isn't to touch the trees.

 

[hazelton farms]

Hmm.. the noxious weed thing sure does bring up an interesting question! I'd check on that before talking to him. Pie though, good starter! Keeps it open and friendly, hopefully. If there is a weed problem, at least tell him, "hey, ok on the mowing thing, I understand, but leave my trees alone".

Stacy

 

[FlockEweFarm]

"Good fences make good neighbors." is what I believe Robert Frost said about the issue. While it may seem expensive to put up a fence, a cheap way to protect your critters and your trees would be to invest in some t-posts and some electric fencing material, and get a goat for weed control. If he is a crop farmer, he has valid worries when it comes to weeds and uncontrolled overgrowth, and he may just be trying to be helpful to folks he considers,"ignorant", not stupid, just ignorant, there is a difference. I dont mow either, and I am sure it makes my neighbors bugnuts, but I also have a fence to contain the tumbleweeds and such. Getting a goat to put in the area will give you an reason for the fence and prevent any hurt feelings, if you want to avoid confrontation, and they do help keep down the invasive weeds.
Try to keep good relations if you can. I have horrible neighbors from hell, that go out of their way to try and cause me stress, so I would gladly trade a busy body for my malignant trolls that call code enforcement every time my hound dog bays or a hen cackles, I live in the country for Petes sake!!

 

[Dilly]

If you were not using or wanting things from him, I would say be firm tell him NO. Never again do you mow or cut anything off my land period.

Now since you want to continue using him till you can afford your own equipment, let him mow till you do. But, tell him NO cutting down of trees period.

Sometimes when you are on the recieving end and accepting generousity, you have to give some as well. So let him mow. Or do without and stop accepting the freebies.

 

[FloridaChickenChick]

Seems like if you need him to plow, maybe you need to go along to get along on the pasture -- it will grow back quickly, no? Stand firm on the trees since they are not something that grows up in a year. Unless they're chinaberries.

If he's doing you a favor -- and he certainly is! -- you need to be doing him something HE considers a favor. A pie may not be enough.

I hope this doesn't sound snotty because I don't mean it to.

Edited to correct sloppy error.