Need advice on the best equipment for my job.

[topbuilder]

I was in you same situation 25 years ago on my 20 acres. Here's what I learned:
1) Good people give bad advice. I was told by someone I trusted, to just "rent a dozer, push it all in a pile and burn it" I ended up having it logged, rented a dozer to clean up, having the stumps ground (500), and still had money in my pocket when it was all over.
2) Limit selective clearing. Running equipment in a forest, taking out underbrush and only leaving select trees will usually kill the very trees you want to save. Better to create areas that are 100% clear and other areas that are 100% natural. Selective "hand clearing" is of course allowed.
3) When choosing trees to "save" mature trees that were part of a forest canopy did not have sunlight on the lower trunk. All the limbs are up high. You come in and remove the surrounding canopy, the lower trunk will now start sprouting limbs with the new found sunlight. That tree will never develop a normal canopy. Never might sound like an exaggeration, 25 years from now, the tree will look like a tree that used to be surrounded by other trees. Choose less mature trees to save. Trees that will develop a natural canopy.
4) Have your stumps ground. You can rent a grinder yourself if you must. The pro has a better machine and can possibly do it for the same money. Much better than digging, burning, filling holes. As I said, I had nearly 500 done from 8" to 48". I never had a problem with holes forming as the stump under the ground rotted. (people warned me I would) Yes, they will rot eventually. Meanwhile you are hitting them with a mower or mowing around them. weeds/trees growing next to them...
5) If you are running fence, plan a fence that will last 40+ years. Heavy wire, galvanized metal corners and braces. Weigh the costs of redoing the entire fence in 20 years in time, materials and energy...
6) Buy a "pro" chainsaw. Whatever brand runs in your veins, get the best. The difference in box store saw 60 cc saw and a 562XP is double. In cost and productivity.

Good luck! Have fun!

 

[bcp]

I would do all I could to avoid having stumps to remove. Cut the roots and let the falling tree pull the stump out.

Bruce

 

[newbury]

<snip>
You may want to find out how long it will take for stumps to rot down and consider just leaving them. This could be a long term approach that would save a lot of $$$ and your time/effort.

And remember - different woods rot at a different rate, plus you can easily "enhance" the rotting. Take your trusty battery operated power drill and a decent sized bit. Drill some holes in the stump, dump in some epson salts, and spray the stump with roundup to prevent sprouting.

A twenty four ft. Stump may be a tad to large! A twenty four inch stump can be dug out without too many problems.

It greatly depends on the shape of roots and the soil they are in. I've pulled up pines with straight roots in sand and fought red maples with roots 6" in diameter going out 30' through dense clay.

I was in you same situation 25 years ago on my 20 acres. Here's what I learned:
1) Good people give bad advice. I was told by someone I trusted, to just "rent a dozer, push it all in a pile and burn it" I ended up having it logged, rented a dozer to clean up, having the stumps ground (500), and still had money in my pocket when it was all over.
2) Limit selective clearing. Running equipment in a forest, taking out underbrush and only leaving select trees will usually kill the very trees you want to save. Better to create areas that are 100% clear and other areas that are 100% natural. Selective "hand clearing" is of course allowed.

I've only got about 75 acres next to my house, about 1/3 was cleared 30 or so years ago, planted in pine, then harvested 2 years ago. About 10 acres around the house looks to be going on 50 yrs old plus. I am also try to "selectively clear" various areas. Some of it is is pine and oak over 2 foot DBH, most is 10" to 20" gum and pine. I'm making gradual "paths" through it.

But the OP seemed against clear cut. Careful selective clearing taking into account soil conditions and weather is easy and with moderate sized equipment can be done without damage to the surrounding trees.

I don't operate when it's wet, I'm careful to avoid getting the tracks near trees I want to keep.

<snip>
4) Have your stumps ground. You can rent a grinder yourself if you must. The pro has a better machine and can possibly do it for the same money. Much better than digging, burning, filling holes. As I said, I had nearly 500 done from 8" to 48". I never had a problem with holes forming as the stump under the ground rotted. (people warned me I would) Yes, they will rot eventually. Meanwhile you are hitting them with a mower or mowing around them. weeds/trees growing next to them...<snip>

And I've never had problems with "rot in place". If a tree falls in the woods what happens to the stump?
If you want pretty you have to pay for it.
I also like to cut some of my stumps to make "seats" or table height.

 

[topbuilder]

I would do all I could to avoid having stumps to remove. Cut the roots and let the falling tree pull the stump out.

Bruce

#1 advice there.

 

[Boatskipper]

You will not find a 35 horsepower Kubota with a brush hog and backhoe for $20k unless it is used, and that will put you into the potential for "repairing things". A tiny excavator can do much more work than the backhoe attachment on nearly all tractors for many reasons.

A good "rule of thumb" for any sort of digging is that a heavier machine will move more earth with less effort. Digging stumps is hard digging, so buy the most weight you can afford on whatever machine you're looking at.

If you get one of the larger/heavier 35 horse tractors that has a top notch backhoe on it, you can do what you want very easily and efficiently. I just think you're going to either miss your budget goal or age goal. It will not go as quick and easy as a mini-ex, but you'll own a tool that can do more than dig.

It's actually not a Kubota, I just used that brand since it is one everyone knows. The brand is Branson and the tractor is the 3520H, it's 35HP and 4,200lbs. I can spend $2000 more and get a 40HP, but does that 5HP justify spending an extra $2K? Will I really notice the difference?

 

[Boatskipper]

How did you grow up on a 30k acre ranch and not get any heavy equipment experience?

I guess maybe a place that big might contract out that sort of thing but most people I know who grew up on decent sized ranches have experience running all types of equipment.

We had plenty of huge tractors (our biggest was a 425HP John Deere) but no dozers or backhoes. Where I grew up the land is so flat that you can see for miles and there are very few trees, so we just never had the need for one. Thinking back now it does sound strange. The ranch is still going strong after 100 years in the family and they still don't have a dozer. I've run plenty of big tractors though, but I'm not sure pulling a plow is comparable to clearing land.

 

[Egon]

The only place you'll notice a difference is on the power take off's.

 

[Boatskipper]

The only place you'll notice a difference is on the power take off's.

Would you spend $2K on 5 more hp?

 

[Egon]

Would you spend $2K on 5 more hp?

Probably not unless the base tractor was significantly more substantial.

My JD 4200 HST with #7 hoe (24 HP) Has done all the the digging/moving you have noted. No rotary work though. It weighs in at almost 4200 lbs.

 

[bdog]

We had plenty of huge tractors (our biggest was a 425HP John Deere) but no dozers or backhoes. Where I grew up the land is so flat that you can see for miles and there are very few trees, so we just never had the need for one. Thinking back now it does sound strange. The ranch is still going strong after 100 years in the family and they still don't have a dozer. I've run plenty of big tractors though, but I'm not sure pulling a plow is comparable to clearing land.

Makes sense. Was just curious is all.

A small tractor like you are looking at for mowing is not the right tool for the trees.

If I were in your shoes I would probably buy a small tractor for mowing and ongoing maintenance but I would rent a big excavator or dozer to take out the trees. I will admit I am far from an expert on trees as we don't have many here but whenever I do have to take one out I am amazed at their strength. I had to clear a 1/4 mile long path through some mesquite trees to be able to drive a pickup though there and the trees were not over 15' tall and none over 6" in diameter and it was a workout for my full sized 310 SJ backhoe.