How would you clear 5 acres of pines?

[Coyote]

10 year old pines in NC are about 20-25' tall and about 7-9" at the base. And they are planted in rows about 4' apart so there is a bunch of them. I've been told they are too small for even pulpwood, much less lumber. Got a quote of about $1000 per acre to clear, chip the trees, and get stumps and roots up, but not hauled off. I need to open the wallet don't I?

 

[Coyote]

Any TBN members near me in Davidson Co. NC who has heavy equipment for this? We can work out a deal!

 

[fractal]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I've got a section of about 5 acres of 10 year old pines. It's a timber tract from a paper company so they are planted like corn)</font>

What happened to the paper company? Don't they want the pulp? Tell them they can have it, but they have to come and get it.. You will still have to hire a dozer to take care of the roots.

5 grand to do that job sounds almost reasonable to me especially with everything they said they will do, but I live where ag land goes for 10-50 grand an acre.

 

[Coyote]

They sold it because they did not need it anymore! Free trees anyone?

 

[DiskDoctr]

Coyote,

Do I see a small log shed in your future? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

They're not all that hard. Houses (heat, utilities, rooms, etc) are much more complex, but a shed just needs a roughly flat top and bottom of each log, cut to length and can even be fastened with long heavy screws (like many of the kits).

It won't be dried and may not last forever, but it's a shed /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Three walls and a roof and you have a nice place for your tractor! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Maybe some others can give some advice here...?

-JC

 

[Varmintmist]

Doable, it will take time. As long as you are not in a hurry, you can do it.

If you have a hoe, dig around the backside of the tree. Get yourself a good HEAVY rope, like one off a digger truck (used to set telephone and electric poles) Chains or cable will work also. Tie it off as high as you can and pull. One of the guys I work with cleared about an half acre with a shovel to do the digging, a chainsaw to cut the roots and a Chevy Avalanche.

Cut them into lenths you can handle with your tractor and pile them up. Let them lay for a good rabbitat (home for bunnies /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif and other critters) let them rot in place. Or just burn them this winter.

7-9 in pine is worth nothing for timber. If it is yellow pine and you live any where near a place that makes PT lumber, you can take them there and sell them so they can make posts out of them. You wont be buying much with the proceeds, but a little here and a little there.........

 

[Nat]

Coyote, I sent you a PM

 

[beenthere]

Do you have a pic of that puller you made? Sounds like a good approach to pulling out the pines, and saving the 'on again, off again' routine. I have some 6 year old spruce that I want to thin out, and would be interested in your approach.

 

[Nat]

beenthere, I don't have a pic. or the puller any longer. It is a simple build, just a vertical beam with a piece of 12" X 12" X 1/2" plate with a V notch torch cut into it that is big enough to fit the trees you intend to grub, welded flat on the bottom and a 3 PH mounted on the beam so the plate can set on the ground with the lift lowered. It will suprise you how big a tree it will get. I cleared a Plum thicket, and a 2 acre patch of field pines,2-4 inches, and a lot of wild cherry trees with it and an old WD allis chalmers tractor. I couldn't afford to do any thing else, and I had the time

 

[beenthere]

Nat
I think I have the picture in mind. I am thinking I might attach it (weld or bolt) to the bottom of the ballast box projecting backwards.

Sounds like a nifty idea.

Thanks for the description.