Clearing project begins

[johan3400]

I have begun clearing the 63 acres we purchased last year. I thought it was time to show the progress. This is the view from the road as I started.

 

[johan3400]

after two days of work

 

[johan3400]

The valley in the back forty

 

[johan3400]

the home site looking out to the road.

 

[buckle97]

Looks good Jim. I am trying to get some timber cut on my property and then I will be clearing my land just as you are doing. Keep posting the pictures, they are great!

Lawrence

 

[EddieWalker]

It's looking good! Quite a difference from when you started.

Thanks for posting the pictures.

 

[Highbeam]

Looks great. Nice and dry with some contour to add interest.

What is the plan? Total leveling/removal of all standing plant material?

Tell us about the methods you are using. Are you brushhogging out everything that is possible? Are you cutting trees and removing slash? Where's your burn pile? Maybe you're popping trees out with some cool method. We must know how.

This is great.

 

[johan3400]

The plan is to remove all the unwanted brush and trees. I define unwanted as honeysuckle, multi-flora rose, hedge(osage orange), elm and cottonwood. I am cutting the trees with the chainsaw and skidding them to where we either cut for firewood or sell for logs. We chip any of the smaller branches to be used for mulch around fruit trees which are going in later this spring. I use an older 6 foot bush hog mower to mow anything I feel confident will not damage the mower. I will have to build 4 crossings across a creek. I have an L3400 with FEL and a Landpride 72 BB, 72 inch woods dixie cutter. KK 72 finish mower, IH 100 sickle mower. an Allis Chalmers D15 and a Mitsubishi Mt180hd. I am in the process of establishing a Fruit and Vegetable farm on our land and plan to be moved back to the farm 2 years from right now. I am not doing any new or unique tree removals practices, it is just hard work and many man hours to get this done.

 

[Highbeam]

Keep at it, it is looking good.

 

[RalphVa]

Looks good. Lots of work, too. I just finished cleaning out around about a half dozen black walnut trees. With my bush hog on the new JD, I'll be able to keep the area underneath the trees cleaned out now.

On any trees that you're not removing the stumps on, cut them LEVEL with the ground or leave them high enough to find easily. Otherwise, they're a good way to have a tractor wheel climb them and tip the tractor. Even with my little Gravely it would want to climb small stumps and give me a scare.

Ralph

 

[andrewj]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Looks good. I just finished cleaning out around about a half dozen black walnut trees.

Ralph )</font> /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Don't see many anymore...hope you planted replacements!

 

[johan3400]

andrewj,
Part of the project on our ground is to reforest 25 acres of the 63. It will have 1/3 each of black walnut, red oak and black cherry. You are right, you do not see too many black walnut anymore, but we have many and plan to have more in the future. My brother has his ground right across the road from me and it is full of good large black walnut. One of my big problems to face is the beaver ponds in the valley. Hard on sapplings but not the worst to deal with.