Because harvest time is the same for everyone, and you want to secure that equipment for that week or two depending on crop, or else you lose the quality if not

Because harvest time is the same for everyone, and you want to secure that equipment for that week or two depending on crop, or else you lose the quality if not the crop. When I was pitching around a marketplace for farm equipment sharing, this was one of the main objections - when you need it, you need it. This is also what makes withholding a repair key so pernicious, as they have you over a barrel, since your productive window with the equipment is also limited.