I agreed my neighbour could cut and bale 2.5 ac Field 2 last year with a few bits of Field 1 also. I reckoned it was going to be pretty thin, but he actually got 16 firm round haylage bales out of it. I didn't seek remuneration of any kind preferring to notch up a small favour as neighbour is a really nice guy, but also knows everyone and also owns a whole range of agri/earth moving equipment.
I've agreed neighbour can take F2 growth again this year (as F1 will be keeping me busy through the summer), but asked for a favour this time - removal of a huge granite slab discovered in F1 which my small tractor has not managed to break out of the soil. "No problem!" said neighbour.
After granite slab removed, neighbour rang to ask whether I would also like hole punched in dry-stone wall between Field 3 and F1 to make transfer between stores site and F1 much easier. "Oh, YES PLEASE if you happy to do that - I've been meaning to do that manually for ages."
The point is: I broached matter of actual favour-value versus value of 2 yrs of grass harvested and neighbour considered this extra work did not require any financial consideration at all. I sort of think it might be about equal, but could someone tell me please what a haylage round bale is worth right now so that I can do a rough calc' to see whether neighbour and I are, indeed, about even with favours so far.
I'm feeling so grateful for the hole in the wall that I would prefer to make a thank you offering (in kind - not money), but I don't want to embarrass neighbour who did seem very content.
This quid pro quo stuff is not easy!