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My post on using livestock to clear land on the frugal section did not get many replies, so I thought I would make a few pointers on using equipment to clear land. Its not as "green" as using livestock, but there are still ways you can use equipment to do a better job of clearing land and conserving soil. On my farm, that is my most precious commodity and it should be everyone's concern. I have seen some great farmers here mess up big time by simply dozing rocks and stumps into the woods...because with it went their soil.
The best way to clear land is with an excavator and use a big one too. Here I can pay $100 bucks an hour for a Cat digger, or $110 dollars for one that is twice as big. Because the bigger one gets so much more done, going with the biggest equipment possible is the cheaper alternative.
I would not use an excavator that does not have a thumb on it. Its just too productive and doing so without a thumb means you pay for a lot of wasted hours since the stump cannot be gripped and moved as fast or easily.
The reason to use an excavator is its ability to pull stumps. A dozer or excavator can break roots, but what makes stumps hard to pull is the suction of the ground on the stump. Its like a magnet on a refrigerator, once you get air underneath the stump, it comes right out. An excavator lets you grip one side and pry it up rather then trying to push it sideways (no air to get under the stump).
The best plan is to use an excavator in the spring when the soil is wet and allows the stump and rocks to pull easily. Simply pull the stump and set it aside. DO NOT MOVE the stump out of the field yet. Wait a year and the winter frost will fracture the dirt clinging to the roots and it will also dry out. Now when you shove the stump to the edge of the field it will be half the weight, and the soil will be in the field where it will help grow crops. It cannot do that if its in the woods. Saving soil is in everyone's best interest!
If you cannot wait. Have the excavator operator shake the stump a lot to get as much of the soil out of the roots as possible.
The fastest method we found for removing acres of stumps is teaming an excavator with a payloader. A dozer has more power, but it is slow moving. A wheel loader can zip across the field. It is a lot faster to pull the stump with an excavator, then shove it out of the way with a loader then it is to use an dozer by itself, or a excavator/dozer combination.
This is what I have found to work the best when clearing land and I have a lot of experience in this. Good luck to whatever method you use. Its nice to look out and see acres of fields instead of views of a acres of forest!
Eat lamb...because 50,000 coyotes CAN'T be wrong!
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Average Member
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| and no one in there right mind will rent such a monster to a rookie without a million+ in contractors insurance. So realistically you'll need to hire it done...and that will get it done faster any how.
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| I didn't respond to your animal clearing posts but that is my preferred method for a few reasons including the fact that my land doesn't have stumps and huge rocks. I know that you folks on the "right" side of the country have those issues and hope that folks who live in other areas realize that it will be different challenges for each of us.
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| it's a fine way to go...but for some of us who want to feed off that land this year.. we need to get it done and over with. I think animal maintenance is more realistic than animal clearing. our farm is so large, we MUST keep enough stock to keep things under control.
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mystnd (8/12/2009)
I didn't respond to your animal clearing posts but that is my preferred method for a few reasons including the fact that my land doesn't have stumps and huge rocks. I know that you folks on the "right" side of the country have those issues and hope that folks who live in other areas realize that it will be different challenges for each of us.
Yeah those darn glaciers did a number on us huh? (LOL)
I had a rock I had been riding over in one of my fields forever. It was just sticking out of the ground enough so that you had to pick the mower or the chopper head up. I figured with the equipment around, it was time to dig it out. But after looking at the size of the rocks on the rockwall, I figured that rock was big. I mean some of the boulders on the rock wall were the size of couches. If my forefathers left this rock, it had to be so big there was no way oxen could move it.
It was.
I could not even budge it with a D-4 Bulldozer. A Cat excavator got the rock out of the hole, but you could see where my forefathers had dug out the dirt underneath it and did their best to bury it below the ground so they could farm. In the end that rock was about the size of a compact car, and took the excavator and bulldozer working together to get it out of the field.
I am not sure why they did not blast it with dynamite though? My Grandfather loved that stuff and back in the day it was easy to get. We still got a few cases of the stuff around, but it's probably a little unstable now. Besides fertilizer and diesel fuel work pretty darn good! (LOL)
Eat lamb...because 50,000 coyotes CAN'T be wrong!
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| My wifes grandfather used to light a fire right up against the big rocks but only on one side then get the fire going hot. the rock often would crack but if not pour loads of water on it whilst still hot. Wear eye protection though. When I say pour water on it do it with a hose from a distance and wear eye protection (I know I am repeating it but wear eye protection)
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I never thought of that Britboy.
I have know drilling a hole in a rock with a star drill or impact drill, then filling the hole with water and tapping a cork in the hole will work too. Well that is as long as the temp dips below 32º at night. The water freezes and fractures the rock from within.
Eat lamb...because 50,000 coyotes CAN'T be wrong!
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yea.. I thought everyone knew those.
In warmer places you can drill a line of holes in the stone.. and tap them full of willow plugs..when they take in water they do it quickly and pop the stone
Plugs and Feathers are great. But I'd like the try the boulder buster.
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Another aspect that is amazing to me is how removing the tree foliage improves the soil. I have a spot that has historically been wet, and still is perhaps, but it is half of what it was. We did have the excavator down in the mud yesterday moving brush around, and I am in hopes to further reduce the "wet factor" by getting the sheep in there.
It is only about 2 acres in size, but right now the limbs cut off from the trees are keeping the sheep from grazing in there. Once the limbs are piled up and burned, then the sheep can go in and graze down the grass. That will allow the sun to get to the soil better and really evaporate the moisture. My Uncle claims that just reducing the trees and allowing the wind and sun to hit the ground will improve the mud factor by 50%.
Eat lamb...because 50,000 coyotes CAN'T be wrong!
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Why do you burn the tree branches instead of chipping and mulching them?
I know that it is more expensive (short term) to chip but the organic matter should give you a better return (long term).
What does your State have in the way of burn regulations? Here in the West, they've all but shut down field burning, no matter what the benefits (breaking disease cycles).
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