Newbie here! Just closed on 80 acres. Question about land clearing...

mdjohn1427 · Feb 5, 2014

Thanks All for the advice. Of the 80 acres, 45 will be clearcut with the intent to have at least 14 acres cleared immediately. The remaining land will be cleared over the next 3 - 5 years. My wife and I are building our dream home on about 4 acres (part of the 14 being cleared) right smack in the middle of the 35 remaining acres of timber (Southern pines and Oaks). We are excited, yet we understand the time it takes to complete this task. It was our hope to have the New House, Barn, Pond dug and all 45 acres cleared in about 5 years. This is our hope.

TripleR · Feb 5, 2014

mdjohn1427, that sounds like a really great property and I know you are going to love it, we moved back to the country 20 years ago and couldn't be happier. We will never run out of things to do.

Western · Feb 5, 2014

Good plan, I bet you will end up keeping a large amount of the "woods", I would. Takes forever to replace, has allot of "solitude" value, lets you remain somewhat in the "country" when people start building around you and affords some privacy, otherwise might as well live in a sub-division.

Smart to do the 14 acres, house, barn ect tra, wear that for a bit and mull it over. Every time I take down a hardwood tree, it is a struggle whether it is necessary or not, like cutting down a couple "lifetimes".

flusher · Feb 5, 2014

Welcome to TBN--join the fun:thumbsup:

To size your tractor you need to develop a 5-year plan for your property. First, determine which tasks you foresee for a tractor. Then figure out which implements you'll need. Then determine your budget for tractor and implements. Then go tractor shopping.

Post back when you get to the tractor shopping point and we'll help you spend your money.

Good luck.

TripleR · Feb 5, 2014

Western said:
Good plan, I bet you will end up keeping a large amount of the "woods", I would. Takes forever to replace, has allot of "solitude" value, lets you remain somewhat in the "country" when people start building around you and affords some privacy, otherwise might as well live in a sub-division.

Smart to do the 14 acres, house, barn ect tra, wear that for a bit and mull it over. Every time I take down a hardwood tree, it is a struggle whether it is necessary or not, like cutting down a couple "lifetimes".

Same here and we have taken about sixty acres or so and reforested it. We now have a good mix of crop land and woods. We've lost the income off the crops, but love the woods; not practical for everyone, but it works for us.

farmer2009 · Feb 5, 2014

Sounds like you have a good plan. Good luck.

oosik · Feb 5, 2014

I've got 80 acres and had some of the timber(Ponderosa pine) logged off about ten years ago. I checked with about half a dozen loggers and none were set up to remove stumps. Around here stumps are removed only when they are in your yard. Otherwise they last a max of about ten years and then they are all rotten and easy to remove.