What to do w/ 14ac of land?

[MF1652]

Tree farm gets my vote. You can seed it down to grow veneer grade hardwoods but depending on your age you may never see a return. In the short term growing christmas trees are pretty profitable and you'll see a return in less than ten years. You can hire the neighborhood kids to mow the rows and shape the trees.

 

[MossflowerWoods]

we are fairly close (VA & MD).

I suggest Loblolly pine, but know going in it is a 30 year cycle.

Plant 400 seedlings per acre, some will die, maintain fire roads. at approx 15 years you thin to 150-180 trees per acre, you make pulp money from the thinning.

At 30 years you clearcut and start over.

Hardwoods take 50 years or more to become valuable.

Better after 60 or 70 years.

I have 42 acres that will need harvesting in 5-10 years.

be well,
David

 

[forgeblast]

If going the hardwood route, think crep. I was cost/shared for planting
black walnut, butternut, oak(pin and white, could also have planted red), hickory nut, and sugar maple along with blueberry bushes, highbush cranberry, and elderberry bushes, along with 6 apples.
Its planted in a grid pattern and easy to spray/maintain.
when buying i have had tremendous success with lawyer nursery.
You could donate to the american chestnut foundation and get some of the blight resistant nuts and start a chestnut farm.

 

[MossflowerWoods]

If going the hardwood route, think crep. I was cost/shared for planting
black walnut, butternut, oak(pin and white, could also have planted red), hickory nut, and sugar maple along with blueberry bushes, highbush cranberry, and elderberry bushes, along with 6 apples.
Its planted in a grid pattern and easy to spray/maintain.
when buying i have had tremendous success with lawyer nursery.
You could donate to the american chestnut foundation and get some of the blight resistant nuts and start a chestnut farm.

ForgeBlast,

What is CREP?

Can you sell eventually, or do they have a stake? Lower basis, means higher profit (and higher taxes).

Just curious.

After I clear cut and harvest I am thinking about doing some in pine, and some in hardwood...

Thanks in advance,
David

 

[clemsonfor]

What a problem to have, I wish I had land I didn't know what to do with. The Forest service sounds like a good option. I once helped a farmer friend of mine plant just over 3,000 trees in about two days. I once heard that if you have the equipment, and the land, there is some organization (maybe it's the government, or the National Arbor Day Foundation) that will donate 3000 trees, if you'll plant them.

p.s. If I had land like that, and $ to build a new barn, I would start a small dairy farm. But that's just me.

Thats not that many trees! Around here when planting pines you routinly plant between 680 to 900 trees per acre, splitting the difference that is less that is less than 4 acres planted. Not that i would want to do it but he would need way more than that in maryland!

I would plant trees. Pines to be exact. You will cutt pulpwood in 16 -20 years and start to get decent cash at year 25-30. Forget christmas trees unless you pay someone to manage it. Its more than planting and forgetting. You have to shape each tree at least once a year every year and the final year they are shaped twice! You have to mow each row and herbicide between then to do it right. There is way more work involved in christmas trees than even cattle, if you add all the time up. Yes its not everyday but you will spend a lot of time shaping 10 different years of trees!

 

[clemsonfor]

we are fairly close (VA & MD).

I suggest Loblolly pine, but know going in it is a 30 year cycle.

Plant 400 seedlings per acre, some will die, maintain fire roads. at approx 15 years you thin to 150-180 trees per acre, you make pulp money from the thinning.

At 30 years you clearcut and start over.

Hardwoods take 50 years or more to become valuable.

Better after 60 or 70 years.

I have 42 acres that will need harvesting in 5-10 years.

be well,
David

On prductive land like i bet he has in maryland 400TPA is way to few. I would not put less than 600 out per acre. Id plant it 680 or a 8x8 spacing. Even an aggressive thrid row thin would only put you back to 450 TPA after the first thin.

 

[DAY]

I also say trees- but make it fruit trees.
An orchard will give you a lot more "hobby" time than softwood trees, which you basically plant, and then go find something else to do for 30 years. At which time you will be 80.
In this area (Eastern PA) we grow a lot of apples. Further south (York County) they can also grow peaches, and I guess you can, too.
If you are near a population center, you might consider a pick-your-own operation. (dwarf or semi dwarf trees.)

 

[9973720wb19]

thanks for all of the ideas thus far...what about growing Hay? what are the pros and cons to that...how would i get started?

 

[DAY]

There were a couple of recent threads on making hay. The consensus was too expensive for the equipment on the acres you have. Plus selling hay has its problems, as well. Do a search, then then go ask your county agent about an orchard. . .

 

[fuseboxer]

I also say trees- but make it fruit trees.
An orchard will give you a lot more "hobby" time than softwood trees, which you basically plant, and then go find something else to do for 30 years. At which time you will be 80.
In this area (Eastern PA) we grow a lot of apples. Further south (York County) they can also grow peaches, and I guess you can, too.
If you are near a population center, you might consider a pick-your-own operation. (dwarf or semi dwarf trees.)

Make sure your soil is loam, sandy because if it is too much clay it does not work. I know I have planted most trees 3-4 times. I dig out the soil and put in 1/2yd of top soil. The deere kill some, the bugs kill the plum, peaches , and approx 50 cherry trees. I keep planting and question my sanity or insanity. My soil is to much clay and the chemicals cost to much to make a go of it.