Need advice, land clearing. Any video's?

[dave1949]

I was planning on doing that with the brush, I guess that would be an option if I had someone who had a done one before. I always worry about it getting out of control. But I have to check what the regs are.

You will most likely need a burn permit. Timing wise, spring can be a high fire danger time. From the time the snow melt is over and there is bare ground, until things green up good, is not a good burn time.

Since it was tilled 20 years ago, I wonder if you could use a sub-soiler to rip up the roots? That would be after cutting and getting the brush out of the way. Sub-soilers are not expensive to buy. A plow might just load up with roots til you are dragging a big pile around behind you with the share point out of the ground. The coulter blades wouldn't cut roots of any size I don't think.

I'm not sure it is realistic to try and make it plantable this spring doing it yourself, maybe next spring if you keep at it over the summer. There are probably some rocks that have risen to within tilling depth over the past 20 years.

 

[motocephalic]

Well if it does not get planted this year, I am ok with that. This year will be mostly a clean up venture.

You will most likely need a burn permit. Timing wise, spring can be a high fire danger time. From the time the snow melt is over and there is bare ground, until things green up good, is not a good burn time.

Since it was tilled 20 years ago, I wonder if you could use a sub-soiler to rip up the roots? That would be after cutting and getting the brush out of the way. Sub-soilers are not expensive to buy. A plow might just load up with roots til you are dragging a big pile around behind you with the share point out of the ground. The coulter blades wouldn't cut roots of any size I don't think.

I'm not sure it is realistic to try and make it plantable this spring doing it yourself, maybe next spring if you keep at it over the summer. There are probably some rocks that have risen to within tilling depth over the past 20 years.

 

[kentuckydiesel]

I am currently working on clearing about 10 acres of my 30 acre place as I get around to it. Have a few cleared now. Basically, don't get discouraged by looking at it. Just go at it slowly with a decent bushhog. As you find things that are too big to mow, cut them down with a chainsaw and pull them to the side.

It'll happen in no time. Just be happy you aren't dealing with 15 years of cedar/hedge apple growth like I am.

-phillip

 

[boggen]

i am going to push for getting the land planted this year. no idea what your laws or like, but many states have a "erosion control" regs/laws. there been a handful of folks here on forum, that got in trouble. trying to clear out land, removing invasive species, and making land ready to be planted. some states require you stay under a certain square feet amount before needing a permit, along with plan submission of how you will deal with erosion. some times there are loop holes some times there are not for farming.

 

[motocephalic]

Not to be disrespectful Ryan, but the state can shove their erosion legislation. The way I see it, that land was farmed 150 years ago, making it as valid as any regulations that the local government can come up with. I pay taxes on it, therefore, I plan on managing any erosion that might happen. I feel we have a run away government, passing ridiculous legislation. When it comes to my land, that is when I draw the line. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

i am going to push for getting the land planted this year. no idea what your laws or like, but many states have a "erosion control" regs/laws. there been a handful of folks here on forum, that got in trouble. trying to clear out land, removing invasive species, and making land ready to be planted. some states require you stay under a certain square feet amount before needing a permit, along with plan submission of how you will deal with erosion. some times there are loop holes some times there are not for farming.

 

[dave1949]

Not to be disrespectful Ryan, but the state can shove their erosion legislation. The way I see it, that land was farmed 150 years ago, making it as valid as any regulations that the local government can come up with. I pay taxes on it, therefore, I plan on managing any erosion that might happen. I feel we have a run away government, passing ridiculous legislation. When it comes to my land, that is when I draw the line. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

LOL The silt fence thing does seem a bit overdone. A good farmer 150 years back might have sown a bit of wheat or rye on the parts you get cleaned up.

 

[boggen]

Not to be disrespectful Ryan, but the state can shove their erosion legislation. The way I see it, that land was farmed 150 years ago, making it as valid as any regulations that the local government can come up with. I pay taxes on it, therefore, I plan on managing any erosion that might happen. I feel we have a run away government, passing ridiculous legislation. When it comes to my land, that is when I draw the line. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

ya i am pretty much with you, and grow sick and tired of laws as well. saddly "poo rolls down hill" and with erosion, it is the same thing "it goes down hill", i have been on receiving end a few to many times. and i also have erosion problems here on the farm as well. the amount of ruts that can show up, just from a good heavy rain, and washing out dirt... is *ughs*. sooner you can get something growing, the better off you will be short term and long term.

if anything, perhaps as you clear the area up, you might think moving some dirt here vs there, for better erosion control for both short and long term doings.

perhaps for plowing / disc'ing, and other general tillage of a field. if ya cleared this area out vs this other area out. and installed a waterway (ditch in grass that is kept mowed 2 to 3 times a year) here or there, you can help retain your soil in the field, vs having your good soil wash away over the years.

keeping more of a grass area on edge of field that is not put in crop. were edge of field is going down hill. can help keep soil in the field, vs having a 2 foot deep 4 feet wide wash out happening, in a few years.

 

[Oliver1655]

You said you only have 1 acre to clear. It is is well with in your scope to do. While a ripping out most of the roots with a sub soiler or other deep digging device sound great, you will end up mixing your top soil with the rocks/clay/... buried underneath and lose part of it to erosion - especially with the slope of your land. I would not recommend that route.
What are you planning to plant, a garden, food plots for wild life, orchard, vineyard, ...? That small an area would not be profitable for row crops. It appears the larger trees are few & scattered.
I would do as previously mentioned, dig up/push over the larger trees, brush hog, then I would immediately spray the area with a Round-Up mix to kill the woody vegetation as will as normal weeds. (You should be able to do this within a week without too much problem.) Then as some roots are bound to come back, cut the new growth off & use an old dish soap bottle to put only a drop or 2 of copper sulfate on the fresh stump to kill it off. (It is pricey but goes along ways). By the end of summer you may not be able to till it all, but you should have it cleared off without losing your top soil. Remember - 1 acre is not that big an area.
** Note, DO NOT cut the trees off before you try to push them over unless absolutely necessary. Push from the side the tree is leaning away from/has the least number of limbs if possible & use the weight of the tree top to your advantage to help pull the tree over. Save the fire wood to use in camp fires/wood stove.
This should be a fun project. Enjoy it! John

 

[motocephalic]

Thanks for the advice John, I plan on starting a homestead, planting a small garden for myself and family. Years ago that field was done in potato's, Although it is overgrown and has been for 20 years, I still think it can be made productive once again. My plan is to add a few new small fields as years progress. I would be happy to farm starting with an acre, and adding to it yearly as my talent allowed. I have a brush hog (KK), I was thinking of a grapple or a tooth bar of some sort to help with the roots in some of the more heavily forested areas. It's a slow project for this year, planning to plant in spring next year. Clem

You said you only have 1 acre to clear. It is is well with in your scope to do. While a ripping out most of the roots with a sub soiler or other deep digging device sound great, you will end up mixing your top soil with the rocks/clay/... buried underneath and lose part of it to erosion - especially with the slope of your land. I would not recommend that route.
What are you planning to plant, a garden, food plots for wild life, orchard, vineyard, ...? That small an area would not be profitable for row crops. It appears the larger trees are few & scattered.
I would do as previously mentioned, dig up/push over the larger trees, brush hog, then I would immediately spray the area with a Round-Up mix to kill the woody vegetation as will as normal weeds. (You should be able to do this within a week without too much problem.) Then as some roots are bound to come back, cut the new growth off & use an old dish soap bottle to put only a drop or 2 of copper sulfate on the fresh stump to kill it off. (It is pricey but goes along ways). By the end of summer you may not be able to till it all, but you should have it cleared off without losing your top soil. Remember - 1 acre is not that big an area.
** Note, DO NOT cut the trees off before you try to push them over unless absolutely necessary. Push from the side the tree is leaning away from/has the least number of limbs if possible & use the weight of the tree top to your advantage to help pull the tree over. Save the fire wood to use in camp fires/wood stove.
This should be a fun project. Enjoy it! John

 

[muddstopper]

I found a couple of pennies in the drive way so I will donate my 2cents worth.

Since you already have a tractor with FEL and a bushhog, and plow and disc, this is what I would do. I wouldnt bushhog it first or at all, this will just make it harder to pull out the roots. If my FEL bucket didnt have teeth on it, I would go to the rental center and rent a bucket that did. Set bucket level on the ground and start pushing. Most of the small stuff will probably be pulled out of the ground by the roots. Bigger stuff you can raise the bucket and push them over and then place a tooth on the bucket under the root and simply flip the root ball up. To big to push over, crank up the saw and cut it down to ground level. Once I had ran over the entire area pushing and pileing with the FEL, I would hookup my disc and cut the land with the disc set straight or almost straight. This should cutup most of the small runner roots. Then I would hook up the plow and set it to turn about 4-6 inches deep and take your time with the turning. Then disc the soil using more angle on the coulters and level the soil. Then if you feel the need to plow deeper, just do it.

If you feel you must bush hog the area first, go to the rental store and rent a set of spring tooth cultivators to go behind the tractor. It might take a few passes but the spring tooth cultivators will pretty much rip out all the small roots and if they hook one to large to rip out, they will simply spring back. The cultivators will clogg up with roots and the mowed brush, but you simply raise them up and back over the pile, which you can move with the FEL. If you take the fel and roll and flip the roots and brush, it should help clean out the dirt making it easier to burn. For one acre, you should be ready to plant in about a day