Cleaning Up Substantial Yard Debris

[Jchonline]

The issue is that everybody threw the stuff into the woods and bushes so I have to take a chainsaw and a hedge trimmer to even find the stuff, to hand load it, to brush hog it. The pastures are pretty clear. Nobody bothered to use the massive fields to throw stuff away so it's all in bramble and tall grass in the front five near the house.

If wooded then excavator is the best choice. Maybe even a mini ex would get the job done…put it in piles then bring the dumpster close to transfer.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

1 acre of my property was used as a scrapers junk yard. It was the cousin of the guy I bought it from stuff. Luckily when I bought the place they hauled most of the metal scrap off and helped me clean it pretty well. After they were done I had a party where I bought some beer and made a big pot of chili and invited a bunch of friends. Filled up a couple good sized trailers that day. Also once I got the tractor I scraped some of the little stuff off the edge of the ravine, then used free fill dirt to cover the entire area and fill in the ravine a bit. Some areas still show the scars of this sorted past in the form of glass, spark plugs, plastic bits, spoons, etc. I guess I got lucky they wanted the scrap metal, I might still be working on it if I had to do it myself. Good luck!

 

[Diggin It]

Have any of you checked with your states to see if they have programs to help?

 

[rademamj1]

Have any of you checked with your states to see if they have programs to help?

That's a great question. I often wondered about this. Texas will help the landowner with environmental cleanup, if proven the junk has been deposited by State of Texas or any of its agencies or contractors and subcontractors, regardless of the year the junk was placed.

In my particular case, it appears to be a landowner living remotely, who allowed private dumping for a fee, probably as source of additional income. Worse yet. As I clean the junk up and beautify the property, my county tax office has been increasing my taxes based on the cleanup project.

 

[Have tractor did travel]

I'm in Southern Vermont in a pretty desirable area but the property fell into disuse and was then absentee landlords to a series of scumbag over thirty years who just trashed it. The house is being renovated in stages but it's really rough. I wish I could say it has good bones but it's seen so much neglect.

It's good to talk to somebody in the same situation. Where are you located? Any special precautions you take for punctures? I've got R1s so I can nervous about everything.

I also in a desirable area. 50 miles from Wash D.C. in the county with the highest per capita income in the nation. Google Lucketts, VA. I paid about 10% more than I thought this place was worth, but the real estate market over the past 18 months, like a rising tide that lifts all ships, left me in good shape. The trashing of this place was done by the son and daughter of the original farmer and the tenant herdsmen they leased the pastures and barns to as they got too infirm.. For the original farmer, I have a great deal of respect. House is all oak beams and studs. Barns all oak. i see in the wood lot the stumps from which he cut the tress to haul to the nearby saw mill for rough cutting.
I've never had a flat tire. I stay away from wood (with nails). I only use one burn pile for wood with nails, and as I'm adding more debris, I stay away from the pile - no nails for me. I have industrial tires.
When was your house built and what makes you worry the bones are not good ? What do you have to do to the house ?

 

[Have tractor did travel]

Worse yet. As I clean the junk up and beautify the property, my county tax office has been increasing my taxes based on the cleanup project.

Doesn't that just torque your Jaw ? I can't think of anyway around it. All good deeds get justly rewarded.

 

[yanmars]

I thought it was, no good deed goes unpunished.

 

[Have tractor did travel]

It's a disappointment because I'd played around with the idea of starting a campground but it's frankly a little embarrassing when people pull around back.

Plaster - Before "retiring" to this farm, I owned 3 RV parks (at one time). If you want to run anything by me, do so. I see some on this forum mention Private Message me. I don't know how to do that, but maybe you do.

 

[PlasterProspector]

If wooded then excavator is the best choice. Maybe even a mini ex would get the job done…put it in piles then bring the dumpster close to transfer.

It's young growth and bramble mostly. The woods themselves are pretty clean. I'm just clearing the vegetation to find the junk right now. It's all useless nuisance growth anyway.

That's a great question. I often wondered about this. Texas will help the landowner with environmental cleanup, if proven the junk has been deposited by State of Texas or any of its agencies or contractors and subcontractors, regardless of the year the junk was placed.

In my particular case, it appears to be a landowner living remotely, who allowed private dumping for a fee, probably as source of additional income. Worse yet. As I clean the junk up and beautify the property, my county tax office has been increasing my taxes based on the cleanup project.

This actually is a good idea. I reached out to the state to see if there was anything to help offset the costs of environment cleanup.

I also in a desirable area. 50 miles from Wash D.C. in the county with the highest per capita income in the nation. Google Lucketts, VA. I paid about 10% more than I thought this place was worth, but the real estate market over the past 18 months, like a rising tide that lifts all ships, left me in good shape. The trashing of this place was done by the son and daughter of the original farmer and the tenant herdsmen they leased the pastures and barns to as they got too infirm.. For the original farmer, I have a great deal of respect. House is all oak beams and studs. Barns all oak. i see in the wood lot the stumps from which he cut the tress to haul to the nearby saw mill for rough cutting.
I've never had a flat tire. I stay away from wood (with nails). I only use one burn pile for wood with nails, and as I'm adding more debris, I stay away from the pile - no nails for me. I have industrial tires.
When was your house built and what makes you worry the bones are not good ? What do you have to do to the house?

That sounds wonderful. How great as well that you can still see the stumps the wood came from.

The original house was near the turn of the century and is honestly holding up really well. The additions over the years have had some issues. Needs new a new roof, new chimneys, whole interior renovation. That's the good half.

The other half was a house they hauled in by wagon from a neighboring town in the 20s and attached to the existing house on a separate foundation with an earthen basement. Foundation is screwed from poor drainage and had caused the juncture where the two were physically attached to sag, causing decades of leakage and rot. Rot so deep you can take a piece of siding off and get elbow deep inside it. The ceiling between the first and second floor of the addition drops a piece of plaster every week. The people who littered the place with garbage were the ones maintaining it. The attached side is a down to the studs, then replace the studs, gut job in need of everything, including a new foundation.

Thankfully the original side is nearing completion on renovation. We're doing it in period style with as much salvaged hardware as possible.

 

[dirttoys]

Like several have said above, get something with tracks and a blade or good grapple/bucket and make piles.

I think there is room to disagree, but, I would try and get all the brush, junk, and even some top soil, kind of scorched earth. then put it back how you want it, without worrying about running over nails, rebar, etc.

If you do it with an x, and the conditions could work, just burying all of it, isn't all that bad if not in a wet land, or near a water table.

Good luck!! I have done some of this, and where I am, unfortunately the best course has been scrape and load a dump trailer, and haul it off, time consuming, but, it is all gone.

Best,

ed