Interesting Pasture Situation

[Quickdraw Farm]

My Mother's best friend is Beth. Beth has 160 acres of fenced and cross fenced pasture within 2 miles of my place. The pasture has been rented for 8 years by an older gentleman (90 years old) who is my friend. He never applies lime or fertilizer and never does any fence maintenance. He has 80 head of aged, charolais mama cows, one bull, and a few calves on the pasture. Recently his cows have been getting out, due to a tree falling across the fence, and wondering just across the highway onto the campus of our local elementary school. Several people have posted pictures on Facebook of the escaped cattle grazing on the playground and track at the school. This aggravated Beth (the owner of the pasture). After my wife texted me pictures of the cows on the school campus I called the owner of the cattle and told him I would fix the fence for him at no charge because he is my friend, I just need the combination to the lock on the gate so I can get in. He said "I'll take care of it". I told him to let me know if he changed his mind. It was clear to me he didn't want my help. After two weeks of the cows going back and forth across the highway, wondering around on the school campus, and so forth, and several more Facebook posts, Beth called me and told me she had informed the owner of the cattle that she wanted the cows moved, and she wants to rent the pasture to me. She said I could fix the fence for the first year's rent and the price per year for each following year is VERY attractive. Having retained 80 heifers from my 2015 calf crop, this was a great deal for me, so I took it. Now, the owner of the charolais cattle and previous renter of the pasture is telling people in our community I snatched the pasture out from under him. This is NOT true. Beth has tried to lease me the pasture a couple of times before but I politely refrained because Bruce, the elderly gentleman, is my friend and I didn't want to do him wrong. But I do feel bad that he feels hard at me. Just sharing a story, that's all. Hopefully he won't stay mad at me forever. Thanks for reading.

 

[JSCATTLE]

If he had taken care of his business this wouldn't have happened .. you did nothing wrong

 

[M-5]

You need to have a face to face with him and tell him to quit telling people you took the property. He know the truth but wants to save face in the community . If he thinks of your friendship the way you do this should not be a problem.

 

[HDRider]

I don't think Bruce is your friend.

 

[cowboy43]

Being 90 years of age do not expect him to change his feelings of you before he passes. He is set in his ways and will not change and will get more bitter.

 

[coachg]

What cowboy43 said;you are not going to change his way of thinking. You did no wrong ! Fix the fence,soil sample the land, lime and fertilize it, and put your cattle on it. A face to face meeting is the way to handle the situation if you want to talk to the gentleman, but don't expect it to do any good. If it clears your conscious I would try, and then I would go on with my life. My 2 cents. coachg

 

[wv mud river]

having my cows get out unto a grade school would scare me. you did everyone a favor. the landowner, owner of the cattle and the children they may have been hurt. may have prevented a lawsuit.

 

[Nesikep]

I don't think Bruce sees you as the kind of friend you see (er, saw) him as. If you're comfortable having a face-to-face, by all means, but I think Coachg is right, you probably aren't going to change him in any way. In the off-chance he's receptive, I'd just remind him that I offered to fix the fence for him, and didn't pressure Beth into leasing it to me.. There'd probably be something in there about not smearing my name in the mud with lies too.

You certainly don't have anything to beat yourself up about, go take care of the place and make the best of it.

 

[JMJ Farms]

If you think of him as your friend, (regardless of how he feels about you) then go and speak with him face to face. That way, provided you outlive him, you will have a clear conscience when he's gone. I agree with the rest that have responded.... You've done nothing wrong. But I would try to make peace with him. If he wont have any part of it, then ask him to please quit throwing you under the bus anyway. No need to be rude or threatening cause at 90 he couldn't care less. Good luck. Bad situation. Do what you can and then let it go.

 

[Rajela]

I wouldn't worry about what he has to say in town. I am sure everyone in town knows that he is a bitter old man and could really care less about what he has to say about anyone.

 

[littletom]

Run your farm as a business, treat folks the way you want to treated. And every thing will work out well. You are not in the wrong. But, I bet he does not get in a hurry to move them and makes a ordeal out of it.

 

[Ebenezer]

Offer to buy his herd.

 

[hillbilly beef man]

Talk to him face to face if it will make YOU feel better, but do not expect to change his mind.

 

[Quickdraw Farm]

Thank all of you for your input. I agree with all of you. I talked to him today. It went surprisingly well. He told me he is very low on hay and didn't plant any Winter grazing, so he was going to have to sell some cows anyway. I offered to sell him some hay and he said "naw, it'd be better if I got shed of 'em". I then told him I would buy them if he wanted me to. I said he would rather take them to sale barn and he told me I could help him, load and haul them if I didn't mind. It was a great conversation. He was pleasant. He blamed me in the beginning but now he blames the "spacebook people". That's right, "spacebook"! I know, that's funny! He is royally PO'd at the "spacebookers" but he is on great terms with me. It's okay with me if he's upset with the "spacebookers" as long as he's cool with me. Thanks again y'all!

 

[JMJ Farms]

Good to hear. Sometimes doing the right thing actually works out like its supposed to. My dad calls it spacebook too. Kinda ironic.

 

[coachg]

Good for you ! Glad it worked out or should I say it looks like it is working out, can't always know till its over. I taught high school and coached for 30 years. The best way to handle people is face to face ; glad there was no Spacebook back in those days !