Expanding field, clearing stumps.

Springer

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BX2680 LA344S EA 55" Grapple, Stump Bucket 48 Box grader, Disc Harrow
Jul 21, 2021
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A little over two years ago, I gave up my house in the suburbs to my daughter and moved into the mountains. I'm 70, sold my business and did very well. I bought 18 acres with a nice house on top of a mountain. I am not near anything. Just the way I like it. And I have a view to die for.
PXL_20230829_141933067.jpg
Though we have been preppers since the 90s, we are trying to be super-preppers up here. I have named my mountain Liberty Mountain.
The only thing missing is a pond or lake. Since I am surrounded by deep ravines, the one side has a mountain spring that I can scale down to but of no practical use.

We are learning that the soil is not the best for gardening and are working on that. A lot of rock and clay. That will be questions for another post.

Presently I have about two acres of garden-able land on the top of the hill. We now have hens and are thinking of a mini dexter cow next spring. I want to clear a slope and make it a pasture.
PXL_20230909_160323123.MP.jpg


When we moved up here, I bought a new BX-2680. Over time, I added a load of toys with the disc-harrow being the most recent. I have been blasting through the brush like an Abrams tank in the hedgerows and that seems to be working. I am chipping the brush with a DR Leaf Vacuum/Chipper. I started burning it, but the smoke kept going straight over to our honeybee colonies, so I am looking for another way to dispose the brush. Plus, we have heard that the wood chips are great for soil amendment.
While clearing the brush, I discovered that I am repeating a task that has been done before. All the saplings have been growing out of large stumps. So, after dragging you through all the above, here is the question: what best to do with the stumps?
PXL_20230916_150124691.jpg


There must be 50 of these in about one acre. I have one of those pointy stump buckets and I have tried ramming and jerking but they are anchored pretty well. I have ripped the tops with the chainsaw and have split them with an axe, but progress is slow and draining. Because of the slope I am limited to the angels I can attack the stumps because I fear tipping.
I saw on YouTube about adding Epson salts to the surface and I guess it is supposed to accelerate decay or something. I would prefer to remove them but would accept making them flush but that creates future sink holes and I have a lot of them already due to rotted trunks collapsing.
I'm retired military and have a lot of experience with operating machinery but I am just coming up on 50 hours on the Kubota, so I have a lot to learn.
And I guess my other question is: can a field that was once thick brush and huckleberry bushes be converted into a cow pasture for one small cow? What has to be there to make it a pasture?
 
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GreensvilleJay

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re: stumps.
you might try drilling large,deep holes in them, fill with diesel, come back day later, add more diesel,bit of gas, then light it up. Old timers used to burn the stumps. once going(diesel), they smoulder burn for days. Since you have so many, perhaps a 'chemical' to kill them ??? You really need to remove them,cutting/killing flush, they WILL decompose, creating depressions.

re: wood chips as amendment. They are ONLY good AFTER they've been totally 'composted' .Dumped onto the soil raw, they will take ALL the Nitrogen out of the soil, so nothing will grow. Also be sure no Black walnut chips are in the compost for your gardens. They have a poison, Juglone(sp) that wilts off toms and peps and a lot more veggies !
 
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Code

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quickest way is digging them up. but unless you have a backhoe it can be a pain in the ass. The second fastest ive found is burning it like others have posted. checmicals work but are slow gowing.

re pasture. mow the shit out of it and plant pasture grass will take a year or two to start being healthy. While itll grow in clay its certainly not ideal. I had bad clay and got manure from a neigher and manure spreader. that will boost for sure.
 
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MapleLeafFarmer

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I used to dig them, let them sit for a year to dry, then in winter when a good coat of snow on the ground and temps really cold burn them.
I find it easier to simply haul them to the local landfill (N/C for landfills around my place) and they let them sit for a year to dry, then in winter when a good coat of snow on the ground and temps really cold they burn them with all the other wood waste they collect. One year they did chip them though and give chips away.
 
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D2Cat

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Give up the idea of a cow and get a few goats! Or a flail mower with the heavy hammer flails.



1694884072369.jpeg
 
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Ktrim

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You need to cut them higher so you have some leverage to rock/yank them.
May be work renting excavator for a day or so to yank them. Less time and aggravation in the long run
 
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Lil Foot

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Check this thread:
 
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mike0000

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Congrats on the selling of your business and your move And thanks for your service! I‘ve been fighting a similar battle, slowly clearing some of my land. I’ve come to the realization that I will eventually need to hire/rent a backhoe for my largest stumps.
I have a bit larger tractor, for smaller stumps I’ve used a chain over a large tire/rim attached to the drawbar with limited success it adds some leverage.
Good luck and keep up the good work.

Mike
 
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The Evil Twin

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Some trees don't know they are dead. The roots will spring up saplings for years. While it takes a little more time, Epsom salt poured into 1" bored holes will do it. Bore a few holes. Pour in the salts. Water a little and cover with a plastic bag. In the spring, soak it with diesel and light er up.
 
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BAP

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You want to be careful about using epsom salt if you are planning on having something grow there afterwards. Epsom salt doesn’t know the difference between the plant/tree you want to kill and what you want to keep. Best thing to do is to rent a small excavator or backhoe and dig them out
 
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GreensvilleJay

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I re-read the original and since you have so many,
consider..
1) cut all the trees down, to say 2' from ground
2) clear off / remove all the bush
3) hire a pro with big excavator( or similar) to yank out the stumps
4) YOU haul stumps away

I know, it'll cost BUT it's a one time cost and it'll be done fast and safely.

The pro can work your field quickly because YOU cleared it for him. He may toss the stumps into windrows for you , all depends on where the trees are and 'lay of the land'. Since he can go faster, clear off more area than you think you want ,now.
 
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TheOldHokie

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windyridgefarm.us
A little over two years ago, I gave my house in the suburbs and moved into the mountains. I'm 70, sold my business and did very well. I bought 18 acres with a nice house on top of a mountain. I am not near anything. Just the way I like it. And I have a view to die for.
View attachment 111712 Though we have been preppers since the 90s, we are trying to be super-preppers up here. I have named my mountain Liberty Mountain.
The only thing missing is a pond or lake. Since I am surrounded by deep ravines, the one side has a mountain spring that I can scale down to but of no practical use.

We are learning that the soil is not the best for gardening and are working on that. A lot of rock and clay. That will be questions for another post.

Presently I have about two acres of garden-able land on the top of the hill. We now have hens and are thinking of a mini dexter cow next spring. I want to clear a slope and make it a pasture.
View attachment 111713

When we moved up here, I bought a new BX-2680. Over time, I add a load of toys with the harrow being the most recent. I have been blasting through the brush like an Abrams tank in the hedgerows and that seems to be working. I am chipping the brush with a DR Leaf Vacuum/Chipper. I started burning it, but the smoke kept going straight over to our honeybee colonies, so I am looking for another way to dispose the brush. Plus, we have heard that the wood chips are great for soil amendment.
While clearing the brush, I discovered that I am repeating a task that has been done before. All the samplings have been growing out of large stumps. So, after dragging you through all the above, here is the question: what best to do with the stumps?
View attachment 111715

There must be 50 of these in about one acre. I have one of those pointy stump buckets and I have tried ramming and jerking but they are anchored pretty well. I have ripped the tops with the chainsaw and have split them with an axe, but progress is slow and draining. Because of the slope I am limited to the angels I can attack the stumps because I fear tipping.
I saw on YouTube about adding Epson salts to the surface and I guess it is supposed to accelerate decay or something. I would prefer to remove them but would accept making them flush but that creates future sink holes and I have a lot of them already due to rotted trunks collapsing.
I'm retired military and have a lot of experience with operating machinery but I am just coming up on 50 hours on the Kubota, so I have a lot to learn.
And I guess my other question is: can a field that was once thick brush and huckleberry bushes be converted into a cow pasture for one small cow? What has to be there to make it a pasture?
Retired military and a prepper. Sounds like Grandpa,'s method should be right up your alley.

Dan

images (2).jpeg
 
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skeets

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And here I thought I was the only one taking the high ground
 

jyoutz

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For stumps, rent a mini-excavator. Don’t put wood chips in a garden. It will lock up all the nitrogen and your soil won’t be good to grow anything until the chips completely decompose.
 
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JimmyJazz

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See if you can hire it out. Thats a lot to ask of a sub-compact tractor. Good luck, sounds like a great new chapter in life.
 

Springer

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Jul 21, 2021
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Tiger, GA
PXL_20230920_134101326.jpg



PXL_20230920_234825902.jpg


You guys talked me into doing it the right way.

The young man that serviced my tractor cut me a good deal on renting his excavator. He spent about 20 minutes teaching me and let me loose.

I did in one day what would have taken me months, if ever, on the BX.
 
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GreensvilleJay

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Greensville,Ontario,Canada
NICE.....
you chose the 'work smarter, not harder' option !

Just look at all the 'free' time you now have ,to do the 99 other things on the 'list'....

When you're done, be sure to clean the dirt off the machine and you be able to rent it again.
 

TheOldHokie

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windyridgefarm.us
View attachment 112258


View attachment 112259

You guys talked me into doing it the right way.

The young man that serviced my tractor cut me a good deal on renting his excavator. He spent about 20 minutes teaching me and let me loose.

I did in one day what would have taken me months, if ever, on the BX.
No. No, No. He was supposed to do the work for you 😒

Dan
 
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