I Have No Idea What I'm Talking About -- Do YOU?

[flusher]

I've gotten a real kick out reading the posts on this forum; it's like learning a foreign language!

Buying a 100 acre farm -- it's only about 15% cleared with one 8 acre pasture
and about 7 acres around the 1920's restored farmhouse. Only about 40 acres is relatively flat, with the remainder rather hilly. I plan to clear about 20acres of land that was timbered about 7 years ago. I'm going to have cattle, horses and raise a little hay.

I plan to tree farm the remainder.

I like the 110 for its versatility--digging etc. , however Ive been advised to go with the 5425 with a cab. It's a beautiful machine, but for someone used to the "road feel" of a 110 type of machine, sitting inside the cab of the 5425 I felt so removed from the task at hand. It's like parking a caddy after driving a Subaru -- the loader seems a mile away! I operate the joy stick and I can see the loader move, but I can't feel it! Help!

I wouldn't even consider clearing 20 acres of woodland with a utility tractor. Around here we have lotsa orchards (olive, almond, walnut, nectarine, etc). When the trees need to be removed, the specialists do the work.

A big rig with a humongous grapple pulls the trees from the ground roots and all.

A big wood chipper finishes the job.

The result is a completely cleared field

Don't know the cost of this type of clearing service with such large equipment. This particular job was a 60-70 acre olive orchard that was cleared in about 10 working days. Olive orchards are planted at about 100 trees per acre to give you an idea of the number of tree-ectomies needed on this job.

BTW: that's Mt. Shasta (14,000 ft high) in the background. It's about 100 miles North of my place.

 

[AKfish]

A little off track here -- really like the pics you post, flusher. Any tips? Like format, camera so on?

They load quick and look great.

Thanks.

 

[Silk Hope Soldier]

Thanks for all the advice and counsel. With all my research and your good comments, I'm thinking the 5625 with cab etc.

Also, I found a land clearing outfit in NC and the fellow sounds pretty straight. The numbers he threw out seem reasonable--and again, he seems to know what he's talking about. Will advise.

Thanks again all!