80 Acres- Eagle Creek, Oregon

[NWOutlawMX]

I would find it best to get as many of big the root crowns out with the rake on your dozer. I would spray any new shoots with Crossbow once they are around 18" to 24" long and leave them for 3 weeks or so. I would then brush hog and repeat once any new shoots get to the 18" to 24" range again. Every time you should have fewer shoots. Some will be from dormant seed waiting to grow. Some will be from root fragments and some will be from missed root crowns. The ones from the crowns are the hardest to kill since there is so much mass to the root. The ones from the fragments and seed should be easier to kill with the Crossbow since there is less root mass. Mix the Crossbow at the recommended concentration and apply it with surficant so it sticks. The reason I like 18" to 24" length is so there is enough surface area for the herbicide to adhear to and transport itself to the root. Closer to the root is better. I would burn the berry canes over the previous growth area so that you kill any roots there (might as well). I would prepare the soil and seed with grass as soon as possible to help choke out the berries. Crossbow does not kill grass. Keep us posted please. Good luck, you CAN do it. It will take a few years, then forever maintenance spraying, but even that will go down.

During my break from the driveway (and deciding how to proceed) I cleared out blackberries in an opening in the trees. It's about the size of a football field and will be the future food plot for elk and deer (included elk rub picture on edge of this area). I used the dozer on this part pretty aggressively and seen a lot of root balls 8-14" around but it took awhile to get everything smoothed out and didn't care for the huge piles of vines/dirt and the extra time it took to smooth it out with the blade so when I got to the 20acre field I decided just to brush hog it down. The coyote sure did enjoy all the field mice I was dispersing but I don't think the deer liked losing their bedding area. I couldn't brush hog the food plot because of all the garbage so each area it seems I will have to use different methods. I do plan on following your advice with the crossbow.

 

[TomSeller]

The large piles of dirt/vines do become a problem to get rid of since they do not burn too well. Mine smolder for weeks due to all the cold wet dirt. I just keep pushing it together and let it go but I am thinking of burying some of them in an old creek swale. I have not been brush hogging because I need to get down to be able to seed and pasture and my berries are so thick I end up with about 12 to 18" of chopped canes. So pile and burn. I have had two visits from the fire department in the last month (neighbors complaining), but I am not stopping until I get done. I can only get to this chore on weekends so it is taking a while.

 

[wmonroe]

Great job so far. You seem to have a good plan and are taking things step by step, can't wait to see more progress. Beautiful place also.

 

[MotorSeven]

Keep chipping away at it, one of these days you will go..."wow mark that one off the list"

Beautiful property!

 

[Kyle241]

Very nice property! Can't go wrong with 80 acres as it provides you with nice privacy and many options. Looks like you're making progress on the drive, that is a long one. Is there power currently at the old house? If not, what are your plans? Off grid? Are you going to build another house or fix up what's there?

 

[NWOutlawMX]

Very nice property! Can't go wrong with 80 acres as it provides you with nice privacy and many options. Looks like you're making progress on the drive, that is a long one. Is there power currently at the old house? If not, what are your plans? Off grid? Are you going to build another house or fix up what's there?

There used to be power back there but they removed everything years ago. More than likely i'll end up running underground power back to the building sight, It will be expensive but not having to worry about trees falling on them would be worth it. There is phone lines at the house, came close to ripping the box out of the ground clearing some blackberries, the only thing that saved it was the power pole they cut off at the same height right next to it. There have been quite a few squatters over the years and they stripped the existing house of all metal and have pretty much destroyed it. I will tear down the old one and build new, trying to decide on the best location so I can start on the design. I'll do the rough draft, then have the local reputable builder we found to finish and build. First thing to be built is a shop, to the dismay of the wife.:irked:

 

[bcp]

The property has a house on it for the building rights only...

Please explain this. I don't keep up with Oregon land laws, but I have heard you can't build a house on farm or forest land, but only replace a house.

Is that right?

Thanks

Bruce

 

[NWOutlawMX]

Please explain this. I don't keep up with Oregon land laws, but I have heard you can't build a house on farm or forest land, but only replace a house.

Is that right?

Thanks



Bruce

Before we purchased the property I investigated thoroughly and spoke in person with the county planner and here's what I came up with for Clackamas county. The property is two tax lots of 40 acres each, the first one is zoned Exclusive Farm Use and is unbuildable for a residence, only because there isn't an existing one. I can build a structure that is consistent with farm use (hay shed, pole barn for equipment storage). The second one is zoned Timber and has the old house. In order to build new the existing structure has to meet criteria. I had to bring them pictures of all 4 sides of the house and they had to match up with the picture in county records, they did. I also had to bring pictures of where there was power coming in, sewer system and plumbing, electrical outlet and light switch, light fixture, heating system (wood stove) and I think a few others. I satisfied all the requirements so they informed me I can build anywhere on the 40 acres. I can build as many outbuildings as I want that are consistent with a residence and forest/farm use. Because the septic needs to be redone and power needs to be brought in I'm going to choose the new sight carefully, probably fairly close to the old one. Once I got all this figured out we made an offer on the property, I did all the legwork myself because I wasn't going to trust anyone else, especially the real estate agent (he had the property listed but knew nothing about it).

You cannot buy raw land and build a residence on it, even if it has power and a shop, unless it is zoned as such. The residence has to have already been established. There is a provision in the EFU that I could build living quarters for someone who is a caretaker of the farmland (possible loophole). You are only allowed one residence per tax lot. You can put a second mobile home on a lot under a hardship clause for a family member.

Oregon has some very strict land use laws. I have heard of people buying land that has a shop and power thinking they can build a house, only to find out after it's too late they can't.

This was a one of a kind property zoned TBR. It makes it nice because no one will ever be able to build anywhere near us unless they re-zone and that will never happen. The house was built in 1915. It sat vacant for the last 15+ years, previous owners lived in California.

 

[NWOutlawMX]

Finally decided what size excavator to purchase. It was a struggle, I really liked the Midi-sized ones with the blade so you could work one area and move on but what I didn't care for is the blade is fixed angle. Kubotas have some with an angle blade but then the task was to find one close enough I could test and they are a hot commodity around here and aren't listed for long before sold. I ended up buying a Kobelco SK120 with 5500hrs from a local ag dealer, pins and bushings are pretty tight, all fluids and filters were changed and they had no problem with my request of a full tank of fuel. It doesn't have the blade but i figured I already have the dozer and having the 6 way blade is crucial in order to put angles on the driveway for runoff. Made a couple cuts with the Stihl ms310 on the bigger roots and the Big "K" ripped that first stump out no problem. As you can see by the size of the root ball there was no way to pick it up but I was able to push it off to the side and tip it over, hopefully the rain over the next few months will wash most of the dirt off and I can get back at it with the saw.

I ended up having to dig out the uphill side with the excavator, then hop on the dozer and push it to the downhill side. I need to widen it out and straighten it up some, the downhill side is 65-70% slope so you definitely don't want to get to close, 80ft to the bottom. There is about 400 ft of this before it gets more level. The ground has gotten too saturated at this point so I'll have to wait until it dries out some to finish but I was able to clear the scotch broom and blackberries and located the spring.

 

[Bob77064]

Looking good, the big K should work real well.