What do I do next

[newbury]

Seems like bushhogging again for a finer chop then a controlled burn, like a small napalm strike, would crisp it in place.

 

[IslandTractor]

I can attest to the success of several bushhoggings to mulch your debris and then leave it to rot (assuming you are not in a hurry). And I can confirm that 15 acres of debris, even if quite thin, will make for LARGE piles and BIG fires if you spend a LOT of time collecting and piling it via just about any method.

- Jay

Yep. The time and effort expended collecting, piling and arranging a safe burn along with time spent monitoring the burn can easily double, quadruple or more the time it takes to just run over the area several times with a bush hog. I've done both. For me the biggest hassle was arranging the burn with the local fire dept so there was a long time between making the piles and getting permission to burn.

While there is no question that to go from brush to grass pasture the fastest way is by collecting and burning, there is a significant investment of time to do so. Mother Nature helps a lot if you can tolerate simply mulching brush in place. The only problems/issues I had with the mulching strategy were that 1) the mulch will delay growth of grass for a while in areas where there is a lot of debris, 2) there will still be small chunks of wood and debris in the area for a couple years despite repeat bush hogging so you cannot quickly switch to a finish mower, 3) the small stumps from saplings will remain and can be easily popped out in a few years if still evident.

Bottom line for me was that if I wanted to turn something into a lawn quickly then I'd recommend collecting and burning debris but otherwise I'd go for the mulch in place strategy.

 

[PuJo]

Thanks guys.
I think I will mulch a few more times, then if anything is left I will burn it!
-PuJo

 

[oldpilgrim]

Clamp on Pallet Forks 1,500 lbs Capacity w/ Stabilizer Bar

They're on backorder now, but well worth the wait.

put a set of these on your bucket, and drive thru the area scooping up the brush. You;d be surprised how much stuff you an pile on the front of your tractor.

They're cheap but well made and you'll use them for many other things.

I pick up brush with mine quite often. Next week I'll be taking a new boiler off a truck with them and moving a wood stove up to the front door.

 

[PuJo]

Clamp on Pallet Forks 1,500 lbs Capacity w/ Stabilizer Bar

That's cheap! I think I'm going to get a set of these!

 

[IslandTractor]

That's cheap! I think I'm going to get a set of these!

Check with Titan regarding what gauge tubing they use for the forks. Clearly not solid. I know some of these grapple manufacturers like to use 1/8" tube which is not hard to bend. These forks may well lift 1500lbs perfectly loaded but might not survive levering forces applied at the tips. I wouldn't hesitate to use them for lifting square bales of hay but they may not survive digging or popping out rocks and stumps.

 

[oldpilgrim]

I haven't tried popping out rocks and stumps. That's not what forks are made for.

We have come nowhere near bending them. I don't know if our tractors could bend them.

The are very heavy gauge steel. Each fork weights about 50 pounds. I have a set, my brother has a set and we work them hard. Mostly carrying logs out of the woods. You'd have to really over work the capacity of your CUT or SCUT to ruin them.

 

[4570Man]

If you have a SSQA loader a set of QA pallet forks are vastly superior. I have used both, and the clamp on forks would make a good one time use boat anchor.

 

[IslandTractor]

I haven't tried popping out rocks and stumps. That's not what forks are made for. We have come nowhere near bending them. I don't know if our tractors could bend them. The are very heavy gauge steel. Each fork weights about 50 pounds. I have a set, my brother has a set and we work them hard. Mostly carrying logs out of the woods. You'd have to really over work the capacity of your CUT or SCUT to ruin them.

Sounds good. True SSQA forks are solid steel and weigh several hundred pounds but can be used to dig and pop out rocks etc. The clamp on type do a good and safe job lifting loads but users shouldn't treat/abuse them like full 4000lb capacity forks.

 

[oldpilgrim]

I'd rather have full SSQA set too, but I can't justify the cost for the use I have. These work very well. I've generated a lot of brush in the woods and I drive into the pile and pick it up. When /i have to thin out or widen the sides of my woods driveway, I cut the brush, lay it across the driveway and scoop it up with the forks.

They work great for that. I've had rocks on the ground that I've driven into and slid them up the forks...no digging just scooping. I've caught them on things that don't want to move but haven't bent them.

The only attachment that I might consider that is as good a buy is my ratchet rake.

 

[IslandTractor]

I'd rather have full SSQA set too, but I can't justify the cost for the use I have. These work very well. I've generated a lot of brush in the woods and I drive into the pile and pick it up. When /i have to thin out or widen the sides of my woods driveway, I cut the brush, lay it across the driveway and scoop it up with the forks.

They work great for that. I've had rocks on the ground that I've driven into and slid them up the forks...no digging just scooping. I've caught them on things that don't want to move but haven't bent them.

The only attachment that I might consider that is as good a buy is my ratchet rake.

I didn't mean to knock the clamp on forks, just wanted to point out that they are more limited and shouldn't be abused the way full SSQA forks can.

 

[oldpilgrim]

I didn't take it as a knock, just wanted to point out that these are well made, inexpensive and a good (not perfect) alternative to the SSQA versions. Would I prefer an SSQA version, absolutely.

 

[japody]

I'd rather have full SSQA set too, but I can't justify the cost for the use I have. These work very well. I've generated a lot of brush in the woods and I drive into the pile and pick it up. When /i have to thin out or widen the sides of my woods driveway, I cut the brush, lay it across the driveway and scoop it up with the forks.

They work great for that. I've had rocks on the ground that I've driven into and slid them up the forks...no digging just scooping. I've caught them on things that don't want to move but haven't bent them.

The only attachment that I might consider that is as good a buy is my ratchet rake.

That's exactly the way I use mine. Works great and can't beat the price.

 

[edkemper]

Buy a Ratchet Rake for your bucket from the T-B-N store.
Ratchet Rake on your bucket is really effective at piling timber debris, prying out <3" stumps and light grading after brush has been removed. Much, much more effective than a 3-Pt. mounted Rear Blade or Landscape Rake.

I would almost consider my Ratchet Rake as permanently installed. As for <3 inch trees? I dig up 3" trees like they weren't even there. I also am pushing over (grab the tree with the rake and push) so far, up to 14inch trees. Root ball and all. Then I back up and nudge the root ball out then drag the tree to another place where it gets limbed and bucked.

Best tool in my arsenal.

 

[IslandTractor]

I would almost consider my Ratchet Rake as permanently installed. As for <3 inch trees? I dig up 3" trees like they weren't even there. I also am pushing over (grab the tree with the rake and push) so far, up to 14inch trees. Root ball and all. Then I back up and nudge the root ball out then drag the tree to another place where it gets limbed and bucked.

Best tool in my arsenal.

The reason you cannot "permanently" install the RR is that you can never scoop any dirt with the bucket when the RR is attached. But is certainly is handy.

 

[edkemper]

I can't fill the bucket like I can without it but I still sometimes have to dig to remove trees and fill holes.

When I start moving my horse ranch collection, I'll take the rake off. Bot for clearing brush and debris an getting a hold of trees when dropping them, it's a nicely made piece of equipment.