8 Acres to clear...... Smart or crazy

[andyz171]

My wife and I have recently purchased a 12 acres old horse farm. The previous owner stop taking care of it over 10 years ago and it is now very over grown. It is mostly brush, thorns and small trees (pine). We are wanting to clear out the underbrush of about 8 acres, which to us means leaving trees about 1 ft in diameter and larger.

I've received estimates from dozer guys all around $10,000 to do the job. But since I have not purchased my tractor yet all I can think about using putting that $10K into an even better tractor. I have not purchased my tractor yet but would be getting a Kubota Grand w/cab either L4240 or L4740 4x4 w/HST, FEL, 6' bush hog and 6' ft box blade.
If you were to do this job would you suggest grapple, reinforced blade on bucket, teeth on bucket, or the dozer attachment??? Or am I just flat out crazy? I'm not scared of hard work and know this would take some time. Suggestions...... Thanks in advance and don't be afraid to really let me have it if I sound like a crazy man.

 

[jbooth]

Depends on what you have in mind for the end use. If it is going to be pasture/grass, you can probably get by with the tractor and a good heavy brush mower and chain saw. If you are planning to till/garden/farm then the stumps need to be ground or ripped out. Also keep in mind it don't have to be done immediately, just set a goal for each year.

Think about gettin a quote from a person with skid steer and tree shear or a saw.

I do a lot of clearing with a skid steer and might be able to offer better advice if I knew what was planned for the end use. Can you burn if you just pile the spoils??

 

[jeffreythree]

I would get a qoute from someone with a skid steer and mulching head or possibly one of the bigger Hydro-ax's if one is in your area. Best thing I have ever seen for clearing out brush.

 

[Arbo]

It will be time consuming, but certainly doable. I would go with the bucket with an add-on tooth bar, and a root rake/grapple for the FEL. The brush hog will take care of the small stuff rather quick, then you can go in and clean up the bigger stuff with the loader.

 

[radioman]

no one is crazy for trying to clear thier own land. It's all on how you plan on using it. Are you just trying to have a place to roam? on atv? walking? farming?
Do you have a timeline for your future plans? where abouts are you located? you mentioned thorns , I only can think of texas the nasty stuff there that should require dozer to save you money on tires. If other locations it is doable if you want to do it yourself and have few years to do it.
There is nothing like doing things yourself. You can save more trees and plants then hiring someone if you like those certain plants. Its impossible to know what to save over such a large area.

Is there a certain reason why you need it cleared? Other then overgrown?

Putting the money into a tractor instead of paying someone makes financial sense until you start having problems like flats, broken machinery, etc.

Perhaps you could just have a dozer build a road into the 12 acres and you can clear the rest yourself? might be cheaper?

We need pics or general idea whats land like.

 

[Kyle241]

I would buy the tractor and do it on my own. For that amount of money, you'll have 25% of the tractor paid off and a nice machine that will last you a lifetime. I'm also one that believes in doing their own work unless: it's dangerous, requires a certified professional (e.g. final electric hookup), etc. There is nothing like doing something yourself and getting the satisfaction afterwards. I have built my last two homes and know every detail about each and yet I am not a carpenter by trade. It will be a lot of hard work but great seat time.

 

[Raspy]

I've been clearing parts of my 5 acres. And I cleared an old drive that had been untouched for about 15 years or so. Nothing over a few inches in diameter, but so thick it was very hard to walk.

I simply lower the bucket with the bottom flat on the ground or tilted up just enough that it won't fill up with dirt, and drive right into it with a bit of speed. The brush and small trees either pop out or get cut off at ground level. If I'm going too slow it will stop the tractor. Then just push it all to an area or pick it up with the forks on the bucket. Once that's done I go over it with the box scraper, maybe some areas with the rippers down, then finish the slope and surface with the scraper blade and no teeth, and that's it.

This works fast and is a lot more fun than paying someone else to do it. It seems like a lot at first, but you get into it and it always goes well.

I've got an enormous pile of brush that I'm going to haul to a free brush dump near home. You could, maybe burn, but I don't want to, and I have a dump trailer.

Brush forks are my next tractor project, but I've gotten by without them so far.

I would definitely put the money into something other than somebody else's pocket for labor.

 

[fastback88]

I would do it myself also,put the 10k towards tractor and attatchments,I would also get the tractor with the R4 tires they will hold up better for what your doing.I have done a lot of brush cutting with my l35 with R4s on it and never had a flat I might just be lucky! I now have a L4200 and can not believe the power differance it has the AG tires and I wish it had the
R4s. Make sure you buy a heavy duty model rotory mower.Take your time and you will enjoy every minute you are out there!!:thumbsup:

 

[moored4]

First off you asked the wrong group! Cause WE are all a little crazy! :confused2:

We like spending time on our tractors or working on them or making something for them. So go buy you a new tractor and go crazy!

All the suggestion so far are good but I would also get the heavy duty bucket and put at least a tooth bar on it and get a brush forks attachment, it is like a big long set of multiple forks instead of just short teeth. They help cleaning up the little branches and stuff without moving a lot of soil around.

Get ready to have some FUN! Keep us posted on your progress and send lots of pictures! :thumbsup:

 

[Western]

If you cut the trees that are to big for your tractor at 3' off the ground and leave the stump up high enough, you can either have a dozer come in at much less cost and just push the stumps, or you could rent a Backhoe and operator or do it your self.

I bet with only 10 years growth, your tractor can do most all of it. I'd save that $10k for a pond if there isn't one.

Just thinking outloud