Old Christmas Tree Farm Stumps

[ultrarunner]

On my brother's land is what remains of an old Christmas Tree Farm.

Maybe about 10 acres of hillside, mostly stumps about 24 inches tall that should have regenerated if the region was not drought stricken.

My thought is to use a brush cutter and cut the stumps flush with the ground... this way, what's left of the roots remain to stabilize.

The other alternative is to just let nature take it's course... some can almost be kicked and others are still quite firm.

Most are in the 2 to 5" daimeter.

 

[tmc_31]

If you decided to take the stumps out roots and all you could plow and plant the ground in whatever you wanted. Here is one tool that I use to accomplish that. Works pretty well I wouldn't think that 2-5" Christmas trees would have much of a root system.

 

[ultrarunner]

What do you call that attachment?

Never seen one before.

If I still had my Dozer... I could have used the rippers and blade to take care all but the steepest slopes.

 

[Thomas]

Wouldn't dozer long to remove

 

[Larro Darro]

On my brother's land is what remains of an old Christmas Tree Farm.

Maybe about 10 acres of hillside, mostly stumps about 24 inches tall that should have regenerated if the region was not drought stricken.

My thought is to use a brush cutter and cut the stumps flush with the ground... this way, what's left of the roots remain to stabilize.

The other alternative is to just let nature take it's course... some can almost be kicked and others are still quite firm.

Most are in the 2 to 5" daimeter.

What is he planning to do with the land? Are you guys going in the grape or hops business?

Larro

 

[tmc_31]

ultrarunner, that is call a sheepsfoot grubber. That particular one was fabricated by my local New Holland dealer. Seems like they run around $1350 or so

Tim

 

[ultrarunner]

What is he planning to do with the land? Are you guys going in the grape or hops business?

Larro

Short term is to get the property presentable...

The home dates from the 40's and the barns from the 1880's

A big hurdle is proving to be getting insurance... seems anything to do with horses is an automatic no... even the carrier for the pioneer family that has owned the land 150 years will not write a new policy.

Maybe should start a new thread on insurance.

He's in California and since about age 10 always wanted to own ranch property and for the last 20+ years he's added a vineyard to the mix.

The plan is grapes and horses... hundreds of square miles of parkland to ride.

 

[Larro Darro]

Sounds nice.

 

[yellowdogsvc]

It wouldn't take a mulcher long to mill those down to the ground. You would then have time for the grasses and ground to recover while you figure out what you want to do. If you replanted, you could just move over from the stump a little or go back and dig out stumps or grind them down. If you are in a drought now and doze or uproot, you have less chance of the ground recovering and when the rains do come, you could be looking at erosion. I always advise leaving stumps in the ground IF you don't have immediate plans for the area so that they can hold the soil. As they deteriorate, they put nutrients back into the soil and if they are at ground level, they will rot much quicker especially if a layer of wood chips covers them.

 

[ultrarunner]

Thought about mulchers... doesn't seem to be much of that around here.

Did fined a rental yard that has a bobcat attachement.

Looked at it again lastnight and I think one swipe with the backhoe would do it for the ones on flat ground.

Think I will be getting as much seat time as I want soon!