Clearing 154 acres of woods in west Tennessee

[pacrofter]

If your plan is to ultimately run cattle, consider silvopasture (as others have suggested). I’ve used cattle to clear brushy woods, albeit on a much smaller scale, and it was fascinating to watch the land evolve from dense woods to open pasture with scattered trees. It did take time, however. I fenced in a paddock, put the animals in there for a week (the paddock contained open field so they had whatever grass they needed along with lots of wooded area), and moved them to another such area. The fencing was single-strand electric running ~8,000 volts. Never had them escape. Brought them back to the area a few weeks later…rinse and repeat. By the end of the grazing season they had opened up the forest to the point I could, over the winter, cut down any trash trees and thin out everything else to the desired density. Beautiful grass and lots of shade…looked like a park after a couple of years, with no soil erosion or pugging. Studies of silvopasture have found that up to 40% shade cover does not impinge on forage production and, when used in conjunction with planned rotational grazing, can dramatically improve the soil and hence the forage and beef production. Look into Allan Savory, Ian Mitchell-Innes, and others.

 

[GrumpyL5030]

My wife and I just bought right at 300 acres in West Tennessee. Half is cleared with row crops planted and the other half is wooded areas.

I’d like to clear the remaining 150 acres of woods, including stumps and roots to eventually plant on it. What is the best way to go about this? I’ve runs tons of tractors and equipment before but I’ve never cleared woods/timber.

Thank you for taking the time to read and offer advice.

I'd guess if you were retired (had lots of time) and own a good size bulldozer and chainsaw it could be quite a project on your own. If that weren't the situation, I'd hire it out if I could afford to. Keep us updated how it goes. This is interesting.

 

[Hoho223]

Wow. some hate! I personally am in favor of food. Heck, I eat at least 3 times per day I like it so much. If it makes $$$ sense, go for it.

Hate?

 

[CoyPatton]

Sorry if this sounds rude, but are you serious? You want to destroy 150 acres of natural wooded area? If you need 300 acres of row crops, why didn't you just buy 300 acres of existing farmland? 150 acres is already a huge farm to manage. I don't get to decide whether this is the right and moral thing for you to do, but you asked for opinions, so mine is: please don't do it.

I do not where you are at, but I am across the Mississippi from West
TN, and around here 150 acres is a hobby farm at best typically doing vegetables, and selling from a stand.
Row crops implies commercial farming in my part of the world. Heck 6000 acres is still considered a small farming operation.
That said—I would personally not clear cut The wooded area, but cut out the mature trees and dead trees.
I agree that an excavator is the tool for dropping trees (push them over and bring up root ball and all). Logging operations are likely to leave you with lots of short stumps. These could be dug out with an excavator, but much more work than pushing down. Ince pushed down, I would use a skid steer with a grapple for clean up. You could haul logs, haul stumps and brush/limbs to a burn location, as well as fill in the stump holes and pack this dirt. Once all this is completed, get the largest tractor that with bush hog attached you can maneuver through the remaining tress.

 

[Todd727]

My wife and I just bought right at 300 acres in West Tennessee. Half is cleared with row crops planted and the other half is wooded areas.

I’d like to clear the remaining 150 acres of woods, including stumps and roots to eventually plant on it. What is the best way to go about this? I’ve runs tons of tractors and equipment before but I’ve never cleared woods/timber.

Thank you for taking the time to read and offer advice.

PM sent

 

[Hoho223]

Row crop fields are 4x the price. I can buy this property and clear the wooded acres for half of what I can buy farmland for. What’s in row crop will stay. The additional land will be made into beef cows pastures.

I know it’s unconventional but it’s far and away cheaper this way and it’s not even close. Anything usable will be cut down and used for fencing and cow pens so the wood isn’t a total loss.

Regarding useable: So you are going to stack your logs while clearing and then at some point start milling them into fencing? With 150 acres of previously untouched land the trees would likely be substantial. When will this mill work begin? Assume you already own a good mill that works fast.

 

[Andy L.]

My wife and I just bought right at 300 acres in West Tennessee. Half is cleared with row crops planted and the other half is wooded areas.

I’d like to clear the remaining 150 acres of woods, including stumps and roots to eventually plant on it. What is the best way to go about this? I’ve runs tons of tractors and equipment before but I’ve never cleared woods/timber.

Thank you for taking the time to read and offer advice.

I would 1st. bring in several Timber Buyers. Get your best quotes. Sell the Timber. You might make enough to have the land cleared. There are Businesses that have Heavy Equipment to come in and clean up the roots and debris. It can be pretty simple. How most of this is done in NC.

 

[FrancisC]

What I would do first is identify what's on those 150 acres. Is it a full grown old forest or just already clear cut regrowth from a few years ago? Any swamp? Any other forested acreage near that land to accomodate the displaced wildlife from the habitat you're destroying? Because you realize the wildlife needs to go somewhere... Maybe think of a different use of that forest area, like silviculture? Harvest 3% of the mature trees, get a sawmil, sell the lumber and firewood. Do custom milling? There's a LOT of money in lumber/timber nowadays. One of my uncle has 2 quarters of forest somewhere in Canada, so land roughly 328 acres. He cuts about 10 acres worth every year (silviculture where you harvest small square areas of only mature trees here and there) and makes a 250k a year selling lumber/timber and firewood. The good part is it's a never ending revenue flow for life, as long as you're fit...

 

[redmt]

What we need is more people telling land owners what they should do with their land. The op asked for advice and not to be told what someone who has no stake in the land would do.

 

[Hoho223]

What we need is more people telling land owners what they should do with their land. The op asked for advice and not to be told what someone who has no stake in the land would do.

It’s all advice.