Old Apple orchard removal options?

[manugoss]

Hi

I have a 15 acre or so Apple orchard that I would like gone. I am located in Granby, Quebec in Canada. I am interested in clearing the branches and stumps using a brush cutter to re-incorporate the nutrients to the soil. I saw a fecon Brush cutter in action and I was very impressed by the results and I tought that it might be a economically way to remove the old orchard. I already started cutting down the old apple trees for firewood so I am left with the stumps and branches.

I am interested in the most economic and efficient way to do this. Around here Someone has a 7 ft Mericrusher and he charges around 170$/hr to do the Job but I have no idea how many hours it takes to do the Job. The leftover stumps are 2'' above the ground, and half of them are between 10 and 18 '' wide and the rest are between 5 and 7'' wide. The stumps are between 15 ft and 25ft appart. I have around 2000 Stumps to remove. Branches could be burned but I prefer them shredded.

What would be your opinion on the way to do this (technique, machine). Is there any small machine that could fit my 55Hp Tractor that I could rent or buy for the Job?

Thanks in advance

Manuel

 

[Eagleview]

A 20" tree shear on a skid steer to cut the trees off at ground level and lay them down . A 20" wood chipper with a winch could then pull them in butt first . The lift and crush on the chipper would break the branches as they are going in . There would be very little mess and the chips could be placed in piles or spread by the hydraulic chute . A stump screw on a tractor could then get rid of the stumps . I would think a day with the skid steer to get them down . 3 days to chip them and a day to core the stumps out .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vV0TTEmoMuw&feature=related

 

[Robbie Hegwood]

Isn't Granby near Roxton Falls? Call Frederic at the factory and I'm sure he can recommend someone with a healthy mulcher that can mulch the whole tree and stump down to the ground. 877-279-2300

 

[manugoss]

FYI Robbie, Roxton falls is about 20 minutes from Granby. Iron Horse, I like the idea of the Stump crew. It looks efficient and it removes the whole stump. I don't think that I need the skid steer to cut down the trees since I do it with a chainsaw and I am planning to sell firewood.

Would a mulcher dig under the ground surface to mulch the stump or do I need to remove the stump with an excavator prior to the mulching operation.

Thanks for the advice

 

[QwikDraw]

Mulching will get you to ground level..maybe a few inches below with a carbide type head.

If it were my job I would mulch the branches, pull the stumps and then mulch the stumps. That's what my equipment could do.

I don't have a stump grinder but that would be a good option and might save some grading time.

 

[Eagleview]

Iron Horse, I like the idea of the Stump screw. It looks efficient and it removes the whole stump. I don't think that I need the skid steer to cut down the trees since I do it with a chainsaw and I am planning to sell firewood.

Thanks for the advice

If you are going to keep the trunks and larger branches for fire wood and you are going to fall the trees with the saw . A cheap to hire 8"-10" chipper would chip the rest . The stump screw/cutter would then take care of the stumps , Google for someone in your area . I doubt the entire job would cost you much at all as two people could do it all (pays to have a second person to help and for safety sake in case something goes wrong) .

 

[QwikDraw]

Only thing bad about chipping apple tree branches is none are straight...I spent a few cold winters pruning apple orchards and the owner insisted on chipping the brush the first year. He went out and rented a chipper and after one day we didn't have much accomplished so we piled and burned them. I don't prune the trees any more but they do pile the brush and I come and mulch it all up in an hour or two.

I like that stump screw but I've never seen one around here.

 

[littlejohn2009]

One thing you might not know, is that apple trees are deciduous trees.

They can sucker from roots or even branches. Unless you want apple trees regrowing in your fields, I'd suggest you eliminate the stumps. Even then you might still get regrowth, but it will be a lot less.

I made the mistake of saving fire wood when I took out the orchard, wet apple wood is heavy BTW but the stumps were 2 feet tall, and we managed to push them over with a skidder.

My suggestion..in the spring when the ground is still damp, push them over with a dozer, and pile and burn.

A excavator works ok too, and it can pile as well and dig the stumps out if the ground is a little too dry.

I took out my orchard in 2001. Plowed the fields and seed into hay. To this day I still get suckers, that we cut with every hay crop and they still grow....so be sure to remove as much of the tree as you can.

 

[yellowdogsvc]

mmmm applewood for bbq. I would save as much of that wood as possible and sell it or cook with it!

Tree shear would easily snip an apple tree at or below grade. Stump grinder would make quick work.

A small mulcher on a big skidsteer or CTL would handle those leftover limbs. I work on apple prunings a couple of times a year and it goes quick with Bobcat and mulching head. Makes nice mulch, too.

 

[manugoss]

For those of you who are wondering how my orchard removing operation is doing is the update: all the trees are in a firewood pile exept for the smaller branches. I must have about 200 face cords to stack now. I pushed all the branches in a few big piles of branches with the FEL of the tractor. I am planning on buying a PTO stump grinder to get the stumps a few inch below the ground surface. My only problem is the big pile of branches. I am trying to find someone who can cheaply turn them into chips. If it cost too much I will burn them this coming winter. I have to tell you that it is not an easy task to turn apple trees into firewood. You have to have a sharp chainsaw chain and a good splitter.