Turn timber land into pasture land

workinonit · Nov 2, 2020

Sorry. I did make the assumption that you were in the southeast. In SC we get a decent amount of rain this time of year, even without the TS and hurricanes that we have had this year. I hadn't jumped to the conclusion that it wouldn't perc just a caution because after I cleared my place where I too had logging ruts and water and got ready to build, my place wouldn't perc. And that was in dry July. Of course the perc test has nothing to do with how wet it is, only what the soil type happens to be.

ovrszd · Nov 2, 2020

Correct. Perc test results will not vary by how wet it is when conducted.

Jagsare1 · Nov 2, 2020

I'm in the south, North Florida. Our rain is definitely slowing down and a lot of the water is drying up. Meeting my road builder tomorrow and a lot of work will be discussed beyond just getting the road in.

umtallguy · Nov 29, 2020

Those rows look like bedding, which is the equivalent of make potatoe hills or tobacco rows, in forestry to plant trees on the dry top of the rows.

BackRoad · Nov 30, 2020

Mr. Jags...what's the latest?

Any more clarity with plans for your property and leveling?

Was the potential for standing water just due to excessive rain or is there something systemic to overcome?

Jagsare1 · Nov 30, 2020

Not a whole lot going on now. I was ready to start building the road into the property(1500' to get to where we are building) and told the company to start.....and they disappeared. Been trying to reach them for 4 weeks now. Out of the blue, they responded today. We will be at the property end of week to mark paths, etc to get the road in.

There are definitely some wet areas but it has dried up tremendously. I am not a big hunter but was sitting in a tree waiting for pigs and was able to see a car drive by on the highway and they were just below eye level. That wasn't good.

To address the water, I have an FWC(Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission) biologist coming to the property meet me in January to discuss any opportunities for the state or Federal government to help with some things. There are state and Federal LAP(landowner assistance programs) that may provide funds for the property if I do certain things(conservation, wildlife, etc). Also going to meet with a state forester. We will work on a strategy to address the water. Some of that strategy will be simple drainage ditches around the property, a pond or ponds and leveling the land that doesn't have trees. I will be thinning some of the treed areas and then will need to figure out how to get rid of some of the brush and undergrowth. A prescribed burn might be an option either now or in the future.

Getting this road in will be tremendous progress. I can get in on the tractor or foot but that is it. This road will allow me to start building some things.

Now the weird. The land is full of deer, pigs, bears, coyotes, racoons, turkeys, etc. Game cameras get photos constantly. 9 days ago, a friend put a new batch of corn out there in the same area he put corn before. I could see him do it on the game camera. Since then, everything has disappeared. Haven't seen any animals on 2 game cameras in 9 days. I sat in a stand twice in the evening and once in the morning last week and didn't see a living creature. Craziest thing ever. It has been really hot. Tonight, we get our first chilly weather. Will be in the 30s tonight. Hoping that stirs things up and gets the animals to moving again.