Verticaltrx
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2009
- Messages
- 1,908
- Location
- VA
- Tractor
- Kubota B3200/L2501/SVL65-2/U35-4, IH 454/656, Ford NAA, Case 1845C/480E/450C LGP
I've done some work similar to that which you are describing. No matter how you go about it it will take a long time, probably a lot of money too (if you are in a hurry).
Method 1: Cut everything, get rid of slash (burn, grind, whatever), get the stumps down to ground level, throw some grass seed out and let nature take its course. You'll need to have the stumps low enough to bush hog over or graze the area at least a couple times during the year. Eventually you will get good pasture, but we are talking 20+ years.
Method 2: Cut everything, get rid of slash, then dig out all the stumps with an excavator, backhoe, track loader, whatever. This will be costly, will make a mess, and you end up loosing a lot of top soil (won't really be lost, but mixed in with the subsoil which isn't the best). You can then seed it and keep it grazed/mowed once well established. Just to give you an idea of cost, a couple years ago we cleared 2ac of dense woods like this for a customer, graded and seeded it and it cost about $5000. Took a full 40hr week with a 953 Cat track loader to get everything dug out and cleaned up. It is looking real good now, but it took a while to get grass established due to the poor soil.
If I had as much area as you do and were doing it for myself, I'd use method 1.
As for your original question, if you go with method 1, I'd want the 5075e, a good heavy duty 6' or 8' bush hog, loader with tooth bucket and grapple, and the stump grinder wouldn't be a bad idea if you could afford it (for small areas that you need reclaimed quicker).
Method 1: Cut everything, get rid of slash (burn, grind, whatever), get the stumps down to ground level, throw some grass seed out and let nature take its course. You'll need to have the stumps low enough to bush hog over or graze the area at least a couple times during the year. Eventually you will get good pasture, but we are talking 20+ years.
Method 2: Cut everything, get rid of slash, then dig out all the stumps with an excavator, backhoe, track loader, whatever. This will be costly, will make a mess, and you end up loosing a lot of top soil (won't really be lost, but mixed in with the subsoil which isn't the best). You can then seed it and keep it grazed/mowed once well established. Just to give you an idea of cost, a couple years ago we cleared 2ac of dense woods like this for a customer, graded and seeded it and it cost about $5000. Took a full 40hr week with a 953 Cat track loader to get everything dug out and cleaned up. It is looking real good now, but it took a while to get grass established due to the poor soil.
If I had as much area as you do and were doing it for myself, I'd use method 1.
As for your original question, if you go with method 1, I'd want the 5075e, a good heavy duty 6' or 8' bush hog, loader with tooth bucket and grapple, and the stump grinder wouldn't be a bad idea if you could afford it (for small areas that you need reclaimed quicker).