Right tool for the job (land clearing)

[trueg50]

New tractor owner, and new property owner here.

I have a few sections of my property totaling ~1-2 acres that were clear cut 15 years ago or so that were just left to regrow. They are basically now a mess of ticks, some small trees, brush, multiflora rose etc.. (see pictures) with lots of small hills/dips. I'd like to eventually get this converted to be more like a lawn or gravel + raised beds; generally something more useful that won't be a bug sanctuary and won't have trees hanging over my barn.

I have a Kubota B2601 with bucket, grapple, box blade and am under no illusions that I can use this for removing the stumps, but I wonder, is it the right tool for the rest of the job? I am considering renting a mini-excavator to pull stumps, move rocks etc.. and break up the high spots of hard clay soil so I could level things off better with the B2601.

I have two good rental places a few miles down the road to draw from.

Thoughts? Opinions? Better/smarter ways of doing this?

Right side of the barn I added some gravel but there is a rock/dirt pile and "brush" area off to the right (last pic is in the winter):




Open area we want to turn to raised bed area:

 

[Wakey]

I don’t currently have a tractor so this is one of those deals where you go to war with the army you’ve got.

I’m using a Stihl brush trimmer that I put a blade on to tackle the vines and small brush, works great! Next I use a pole saw for the next step up, limbing trees, etc. Then a chainsaw and my neighbor will come by with his tracked loader with grapple to stack and burn.

As far as stumps, I’ll let him get after some to see how it goes.

I was going to dump some salt on them otherwise, they decay pretty quickly that way.

You can get much of your woods done with just your tractor.

*edit to add some pics of where I’m at right now.

 

[Diggin It]

Are there stumps in that 'open area'? If not, rent a rotary cutter to knock that scrub down.

Once the white devil is gone and you can see the ground better, you may be able to tackle the bumpy areas with a box blade after you tame them with the Ex.

 

[fried1765]

New tractor owner, and new property owner here.

I have a few sections of my property totaling ~1-2 acres that were clear cut 15 years ago or so that were just left to regrow. They are basically now a mess of ticks, some small trees, brush, multiflora rose etc.. (see pictures) with lots of small hills/dips. I'd like to eventually get this converted to be more like a lawn or gravel + raised beds; generally something more useful that won't be a bug sanctuary and won't have trees hanging over my barn.

I have a Kubota B2601 with bucket, grapple, box blade and am under no illusions that I can use this for removing the stumps, but I wonder, is it the right tool for the rest of the job? I am considering renting a mini-excavator to pull stumps, move rocks etc.. and break up the high spots of hard clay soil so I could level things off better with the B2601.

I have two good rental places a few miles down the road to draw from.

Thoughts? Opinions? Better/smarter ways of doing this?

Right side of the barn I added some gravel but there is a rock/dirt pile and "brush" area off to the right (last pic is in the winter):
View attachment 686198
View attachment 686199
View attachment 686200

Open area we want to turn to raised bed area:
View attachment 686197

Rent a tracked excavator, and do the clean up/clearing before everything goes green, so you can still easily see all the rocks/stumps.
You can do the final finish clearing with your little machine later.
I would not even consider tackling your Vermont rocks/stumps with my Kubota L48TLB,(8,000 lb.), and it is a 48Hp machine with an 11' hoe/thumb.
My L48TLB is a relative brute, compared to the B2601, but it too, would simply not be adequate for your described tasks.

 

[Bullwinkle123]

From the look of it your tractor will be good for brushhogging some of the smaller growth, and for carting away the larger growth once you cut it with a chain saw. But it seems unlikely you'll be able to just wade into those semi-forested parts and haul trees out by the roots. Cut the trees down to near ground level and you'll at least be able to drive over the cut trees. (My vermont lumber cuts for the current use program leave gigantic stumps way too high to drive over, I won't let that happen again).

Definitely need to keep on top of it, it's a pain once it grows in. Anyway, a grapple and rotary cutter will be very useful, but you may need to rent something bigger to deal with stumps unless you're content to use a stump grinder on them. Curious to hear your story when you've got it cleared, about what you used.

 

[deezler]

I think you're on the right track with a mini-excavator rental. I've done this a couple times for numerous projects and land-clearing work here at my place in Michigan.

Get one with a hydraulic thumb - you can tip smaller trees right over, grab the trunk with the thumb, and literally spin the machine and THROW them to the side if you want to move fast - it's great fun.

Plus the front push blade on the excavator will level ground a lot more easily than using and abusing your little tractor.

My take, do the whole job with a rented mini-ex. You could probably do the whole job in one weekend rental, and then whatever final dirt smoothing you need afterwards with your Kubota.