OP
Best way to clear unwanted trees from pasture
- Thread starter Ed27
- Start date
- Views: 90095
OP
Ed27
Silver Member
Do you think there are any people who make and sell wood chips with the giant commercial chippers and trucks to blow the chips into who would come get all my trees, chip them, and haul them away, free for them and free for me?
OP
Ed27
Silver Member
Yeah, sorry, I wasn't referring specifically to you. This topic brings experts out of the woodwork.
No need to say sorry! I know what you meant! I appreciate all the great feedback because I know I will do something a lot smarter than my original idea!
jjp8182
Platinum Member
Possible, though it may not be entirely free (may depend on the area, and service), but it might be a cheap(er) option even if it's not completely free. Though I'd say it's worth looking into before removing any trees you'd want them to handle. Just a suggestion based off a recent experience of helping a coworker remove a bunch of large crape myrtles and holly trees. While we were working he found out from a neighbor that the neighbor was having a tree removal & chipping service come in to remove a row of pines. Short version is that the coworker called to get a quote about having them chip the pile of trees we'd taken down and they looked at the pile and didn't want to deal with it (even though it was a similar volume to what they were cutting down and chipping at his neighbor's place).
Lot's of food for thought provided here, but in the end it's obviously your wallet and your decision how to go about it (which may even be a mix of approaches) ... really not a wrong/bad way of doing it, just lots of options that range in price & time to get to a "good enough" point (at which point the next project starts
)
sandman2234
Super Member
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2005
- Messages
- 6,025
- Location
- Jacksonville, Florida
- Tractor
- JD2555 and a few Allis Chalmers and now one Kubota
Redlands Okie
Veteran Member
May not be what the OP needs but 12 diameter bodark trees and a good bit of root and little soil. Similar cedar trees easy work using a 35 hp tractor. Stick the stump bucket on a 50 horsepower and up skid steer and it is darn effective. Relatively low cost with some time invested. Stack em with a grapple to speed things up. As in most things in life its all about a trade between time and money.
OP
Ed27
Silver Member
I think you're right David. The reason I'm going with a tracked excavator is because most of the trees are Bradford pears and they have thorns that punch holes in tractor tires.
OP
Ed27
Silver Member
Exactly! Trying to find that sweet spot!
D2Cat
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Nov 6, 2014
- Messages
- 764
- Location
- 50 miles south of Kansas City
- Tractor
- Case730, Deutz 6206, Cat D2, Kubota L305, Kubota L4240, Kubota B7100HST, Kubota TG1860G, TG1860D
Ed27, looking at your aerial pictures I suggest finding a local contractor with a tree saw on his SS. He'll probably have another attachment (rake) he hooks up after cutting and pushes the trees into piles. They can cut the trees off a couple of inches in the ground. No need to spray Red Cedars, they will not sprout back. Cedars up to 12-15' tall and shorter can be cut at the rate of 200-300 per hour.
I had 10 acres similar to your pictures, but with some Osage Orange and Locust, done as I described. The next year I hayed the field using an old Hesston PT10 and broke 6 sections. Had neighbors stop by to ask how I could mow it. I cleaned a few stobs that were still too high, and the next year broke 4 sections. None from the on.
You making it too complicated with all the equipment and attachments. The guy I hired had a tank on his SS for spraying the Osage Orange and Locust, so those went a bit slower, but a 32" carbide tooth blade is no challenge to wood! I'd bet you can find someone to cut that for $60-70 an hour. That's their time, machine, fuel and experience.....much cheap than doing it yourself
I had 10 acres similar to your pictures, but with some Osage Orange and Locust, done as I described. The next year I hayed the field using an old Hesston PT10 and broke 6 sections. Had neighbors stop by to ask how I could mow it. I cleaned a few stobs that were still too high, and the next year broke 4 sections. None from the on.
You making it too complicated with all the equipment and attachments. The guy I hired had a tank on his SS for spraying the Osage Orange and Locust, so those went a bit slower, but a 32" carbide tooth blade is no challenge to wood! I'd bet you can find someone to cut that for $60-70 an hour. That's their time, machine, fuel and experience.....much cheap than doing it yourself