Clearing 154 acres of woods in west Tennessee

[paulsharvey]

So, this isn't that unlike the guy in Tanazania... everyone builds a picture in their own mind of what the OPs 150 acres looks like; and even if the 'majority' are giving well meaning advice, we are basing that advice on our own mental picture of the trees, terrain, OPs experience, heck, even our own idea of farm land; all the could vary widely. Without seeing it, none of us really have a good idea of what he/she is working with. Aerial image and some shots from the edge of woods, as well as something kinda showing the density/size/species on the interior, would be helpful; but even then, boots on the ground can't be replaced.

 

[Torvy]

^truth.

Sometime "woods" are there simply because the farmland was neglected for 10 years or so. Maybe it is excellent.

For everyone worried about trees...they grow back. Heck, most of the great plains in the US was virtually tree less until the mid 1800s when settlers moved in and started planting them. It's not AG land that is removing trees, it is cities and suburbs. Ag just switches a 20 year crop to an annual crop. My trees are only about 12 years old and are huge. They need to be thinned a bit.

 

[wrknman]

Not on track with the OPs question. However I would really think twice about talking to any government agency because if you do decide to clear or dig they may shut you down before you even get started. They have the power and sometimes the mind set of telling you what you need to do on your own land.

 

[4570Man]

Clearing 150 acres is a big job. Prepare to spend several thousand per acre to get it done. And you could easily spend that much more to smooth it out from “cleared” to smooth enough for pasture. If I was clearing 150 acres I’d want a 30 ton trackhoe or even bigger with a hydraulic thumb, a large dozer with a rake and a haul truck would be a nice touch. Then you’re probably going to want a large tractor with a heavy duty disk. I have a 4 ton trackhoe and a 14 ton trackhoe and it would take way too long with those tools.

 

[paulsharvey]

Not on track with the OPs question. However I would really think twice about talking to any government agency because if you do decide to clear or dig they may shut you down before you even get started. They have the power and sometimes the mind set of telling you what you need to do on your own land.

I would say, do some research, before you talk to gov. If they have zero jurisdiction, you're just giving them an opportunity to get involved. But, there very well could be regulations on any drainage outfall to water ways, distance from water ways you can't clear, ect. Also, don't volunteer too much info to them (I don't mean ag extension, I mean county government, ect). Some states seem to have much more relaxed rules about a creek on your property than others, and what you can/can't do on/in/around it. Might be worth downloading some of the 'land development regulations' or water management area info, or soil conservation district stuff, and scan over it before just walking upto the county commission meeting.

 

[sequoyah101]

I would say, do some research, before you talk to gov. If they have zero jurisdiction, you're just giving them an opportunity to get involved. But, there very well could be regulations on any drainage outfall to water ways, distance from water ways you can't clear, ect. Also, don't volunteer too much info to them (I don't mean ag extension, I mean county government, ect). Some states seem to have much more relaxed rules about a creek on your property than others, and what you can/can't do on/in/around it. Might be worth downloading some of the 'land development regulations' or water management area info, or soil conservation district stuff, and scan over it before just walking upto the county commission meeting.

NEVER ever talk to the gooberment unless you have to. Never take gooberment money either or you'll have them in your business until you die.

 

[sequoyah101]

Actually farmland is disappearing rapidly thanks to the growing solar farms around here. Almost 20,000 acres of corn fields went to solar farms here in the last year. Farmers are getting paid $1,000/month to lease their land for solar panels.
Maybe the op is going to plant solar panels.

I would not let them near my land in the first place and if I did it would not be without them posting an irrevocable bond to remove the mess when the whole enterprise goes **** up.

 

[Egon]

^truth.

Sometime "woods" are there simply because the farmland was neglected for 10 years or so. Maybe it is excellent.

For everyone worried about trees...they grow back. Heck, most of the great plains in the US was virtually tree less until the mid 1800s when settlers moved in and started planting them. It's not AG land that is removing trees, it is cities and suburbs. Ag just switches a 20 year crop to an annual crop. My trees are only about 12 years old and are huge. They need to be thinned a bit.

Lightning and prairie fires kept the trees down.

 

[paulsharvey]

Also, to the point of being marginal ground, soil tests are needed to determine soil health, maybe do some diy percolating tests, ect; but there a hundreds of reasons this quarter section wasn't in production. It could have been tobacco crop, 40 years ago, and the market tanked; it could have been in a 25 year conservation easement, maybe kids moved off farm, they didn't have man power to run the whole 300 acres. It's also possible that it Is marginal, or better stated, marginal for a specific crop. Sandy soils on a wheat or corn operation might be seen as marginal but might make excellent peanut ground. Agriculture is a massively diverse term, and it could be anything from pine plantation, to cattle, vineyard, corn, hops, ect. Sure, there is some land that can't produce much of anything, but probably 95% of land, that recieves enough water can produce something. Heck, there are guys is Louisiana raising Elk for meat production, as well as for game farms. About 10 years ago, here in Fla, you saw more cotton fields then 25 years ago; 5 year old pines being plowed down for blueberries, ect. Trends, markets, and commodities change over time to meet local, national, and international demands.

Edit: that shifting in demand/commodities, ect also applies to solar farms, Argo tourism, corn mazes, farm to door meat, ect. If a land owner stays to stuck in "granddaddy planted beans and corn, so thats all we will ever do", that land owner will probably be the last generation of his line farming it. Same with, great granddaddy never cleared that woods, so it can't be worth it, it will stay woods forever.

 

[c cyrus]

My wife and I just bought right at 300 acres in West Tennessee. Half is cleared with row crops planted and the other half is wooded areas.

I’d like to clear the remaining 150 acres of woods, including stumps and roots to eventually plant on it. What is the best way to go about this? I’ve runs tons of tractors and equipment before but I’ve never cleared woods/timber.

Thank you for taking the time to read and offer advice.

I live in West Tennessee. Not sure this is going to be a viable process. It costs lots of money to clear land of the trees. Right now, lots of land clearing is going on in Millington for potential new construction for the planned Blue Oval construction in a neighboring county.
Perhaps you should first find out the going rate for cash rent on farm land that you are thinking about clearing. My friend cleared some a few years back. It was not large trees he cleared. He spent days with a loader backhoe clearing stumps and roots. Then......he found he could have sold a few acres for more than he paid for the whole thing, just to increase the size of a nearby cemetary.