The First Big Project

[CVHoss]

Here's a link to my first major tractor project. Getting started on it but have already hooked up with a local conservation contractor to bring in a D7 dozer to do a lot of the work. After getting into it, figured it would be cheaper to hire him than fix all the flats the hedge and locust trees would cause. Talked with the neighbor and he said I can clear his off too, so going to clear it all. Should be around six acres when done. Property is a quarter mile deep. Once we get it cleared and can see the lay of the land, might put a nice pond on it. It is pretty amazing what these little tractors will do, though. Well, back to work.

Hoss

 

[ronjhall]

Hoss
Nice Web site./w3tcompact/icons/cool.gif I was wondering why there are no pictures of you or your tractor in the projects. Are you using the color of your tractor to hide it in the brush? /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[CVHoss]

Darn straight I'm hidin'. Did you see the size of that groundhog hole?/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Hoss

 

[TerryinMD]

Hoss,

You better be careful. Gonna clear cut 6 acres...

Look over your back - PETA and E.L.F. may protest. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[CVHoss]

Send 'em on. I'm a real nice fella when someone starts tellin' me what to do with my own ground./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif Actually, going to try and save as many trees as possible. Only problem is that an awful lot of them are hedge and locust. Told the dozer guy that when he comes in, I don't want anything with thorns on it left. We've got a 4 lane highway right in front of our house, so I'm planning on trying to fix this up nice. Kind of make it like a refuge from the traffic. It is kind of funny how quick the deer found the path I cleared through so I could walk the dozer guy to the end. Tracks all over the place. Couple of nice pear trees down there. Maybe I'll leave them for the deer.

Hoss

Hoss

 

[scruffy]

Lookin' good Hoss!

 

[TerryinMD]

Just thought of something.

If you have the time or you can "enlist" the help of family/friends, you could buy some of the 1" colored plastic tape and mark the trees you want to keep. This way the contractor will know what not to take out.

Terry

 

[CVHoss]

Terry,
Yup, got a big roll all ready to go. Only problem is that most of the vegetation, small locust trees, and such are so thick, that it's virtually impossible to get to some of the trees that I want to mark. I'm going to have to stay pretty close to the dozer operator at first until we get some of the underbrush cleared out so I can get to the trees to mark them. The one thing I'm going to do for sure is take out the row of trees you see in the photos taken from my back yard. When I get done, I want to be able to sit on my deck and have an unobstructed view out through the property. The picture I have in my mind is a very pleasant setting. We'll have to see how the real thing pans out.

Hoss

 

[TerryinMD]

I understand what you trying to do and the work ahead of you

When we bought our place about 11 yrs ago, the front 1/3 was multiflora rose. The rest was a new growth mixture of locust, sumac, hackberry, cherry, and everything else in between. More than half of our property is still slightly wooded. We are in the foothills of the Alleghenies and have some very nice rock outcroppings and hardwoods. We had some spectacular elm trees but have been losing them to the dutch elm disease. Beetle larvae burrow between the bark and wood, leaving their droppings which cause the disease. The upside is that we are getting some nice Black Walnuts, Cherry, and oaks.

It has gotten to the point that we are just getting rid of the "junk" trees and let the healthier hardwoods take over. Our biggest mistake was keeping one male Cottonwood tree. The trunk is about two feet at the base of the tree. It will meet it's demise this fall. Darn cotton just clogs everything up.

Good luck with your project.

Terry