Hardwood forest to hay field
 

I've got a couple areas on my property that I'd like to clear for pasture/grazing land but I've got some questions.

I know that years ago the method was using sheep and goats to eat the vegetation then introduce hogs to root up the ground after the trees are cut down. That's as far as I know. I realize that I can ask my county extension but I wanted to run it by the hay farmers here.

Here's what I've got:
The land I want for pasture is gently sloping and well draining. It is presently a hardwood forest growing predominantly Beech, Maple and Ash. There are an abundance of rocks (glacial till). I have not had the soil tested and realize that I need to do that.
I've got two areas in mind maybe an 1.5 acres total and it will be used primarily for grazing cows.

I'd appreciate any tips or issues on successfully turning forest into farmland.

Thanks

Do a search in here of rotational grazing, lots of great information.

Excavator to take the trees out roots and all. Cut the stumps and tops off behind him as he goes so he can pile them up to burn before he leaves and get him to move the bigger rocks too. There's nothing cheaper in the long run

Thanks vikki, I'll check that out.

Dale,
As far as the tree and rock removal, I got plenty of experience with those! I've got a backhoe for those jobs. It's after the trees and stumps are gone, preparing the soil. I know I'll have a ton of roots and shoots from the beech trees.
So after the rocks and stumps are gone does the top layer get turned in? If I used hogs what happens after they've done their job?
I'm sorry for the rookie questions but I've got a lot to learn about farming.

Dale has it right.

Never mind. I see Dale said first what I was saying.. don't cut the tree until it's pushed over..

For all that work and expense, an acre and a half is not going to support cowS. Maybe cow.......

geo

Was thinking the same. I have couple acres I would consider for Pasture but I would leave the Trees and put a few Goats on.

Still would never put Hogs on Rocky ground with any slope.

big rockpile

You can do it cheap and slow as you describe, or get it done and use it as Dale describes.

Hard to pasture a full grown beef or milk cow on less than an acre, so not sure that you will support very ich on such a small plot, assuming it will still be surrounded by trees the grass doesn't grow as well in the shade and water-stealing root zone of the tree ring....

To answer your question, it is difficult to turn such land into top land that one tills yearly. Stiff keeps coming to the surface for years..... To make pasture is pretty easy, once you get the trees and big roots and rocks picked up, disk it which chops up the lumps and debris a bit, and spread the mixed pasture seeds, harrow in lightly, and pray for rain.

And a pasture shows up. :)

Paul

When I came here I n 81, there was a pecan tree right in the middle of my 10 acre field. A dozer did some oil work on the place and I got him to push it over for me. I don't remember the sign or the time of year, but I pulled it to the house and worked it up into firewood. Ive been fighting a trail of sprouts ever since.

Hmmm, New England, lots of rocks, ... and trees. Nature's way of saying this (trees) is the best crop for the area?

You've got a job ahead of you and lots of good advice above about how to proceed. When I cleared about 15 acres here my soil was not in great shape, lots of clay had come up with the root balls for example. After rock raking a million times (slight exaggeration) I had to add plenty of lime and did two cover crops, one rye and one cow peas. All that helped, but it was finding some chicken litter/manure that really made the land productive again. The poop gave life to the soil again, and it's decent pasture now and getting better all the time.

Agreeing with Ramblin Wreck. I've been restoring topsoil and nutrition to eroded soil using the spent straw from the chicken coop and goat shed. In one year their is a nice - if still thin - layer of fertile soil. Highly effective and cheap :)

Great comments, thanks.

My intention was never to raise a herd of cows. One, maybe two. Just for our use. I guess we could supplement with bought hay (?). I didn't make that clear.

Curious why pigs are not recommended. Dangerous for them? The land in question is not steep at all. It's very gently sloping, if at all.

Boy I'm sure glad the original European settlers to this region didn't give up and just grow trees.:hrm:

Pigs root up, any soil will be gone you will have a nice pile of rocks.

big rockpile

if your going to end up supplementing a lot on hay any way with a cow on an acre , cut the trees that are in the way take out the dead wood and thin them down some for fire wood each year to heat the house and the cow will thank you for the shade mid summer

A lot of them did, same as here. You'll find a lot of forests with old foundations and fences in the middle of them

I would suggest flush cutting the stumps to the ground and leaving the roots in place. The roots represent about half the biomass of the tree. Don't use a dozer to take them out but instead keep all that organic matter in place and maintain the soil integrity. See:

http://sugarmtnfarm.com/2009/08/02/f...apple-skidder/

Sell the timber and use the money for fencing, seed and livestock.

Seed the land as it gets logged so the activity moves the seed into the soil. Then let it rest a year so the plants get a good start and set root as well as producing their first crop of seeds. We did soft grasses, legumes, brassicas, millets, amaranth, chicory and other forages. What you do will vary with your climate, soils and livestock goals. Strip test different seeds and see what thrives.

Setup a perimeter fence and get animals on the land. The goal is managed rotational grazing. Start dividing the land into paddocks. Smaller paddocks are better than larger, more are better than fewer. Rotate and if needed seed behind the animals.

Our land is too rough, too stumpy, stoney and steep for machine work so we simply hand broadcast 70 acres. Walk in the park. You like hiking, right. Please work. Frost, Storm and Mob drive the seed into the soil. Timing matters. See:

http://sugarmtnfarm.com/2010/09/15/frost-seeding/

This is slower but a lot cheaper than bulldozing. Fits my ways and goals. Doesn't give a lawn. It gives pasture. If you want machine workable hay fields then the dozers going to get you there faster.

Note that it takes a _lot_ of pigs to root up a large area. They're not quite the rooting machines of mythology.

Cheers,

-Walter

Great site you have there Walter. And thanks to everyone for your replies. Since this project is still in the planning stage, I'm thinking that I may want to consider opening up more than an acre or so to pasture.
Time will tell!

If you do remove the stumps pile them up and cover them with some loamy material. They will break down for use as loam in a few to several years. Do the same to the slash. The best way for crop field is to cut and stump. Let it set for a year or two or three to let roots rot,then take off the duff with something like a D5 and commence to harrow and rock pick. I don't know whether that would work in this situation. Pigs would love it but pr'ly not safe for much else with all the rough ground.

An excavator can do a decent cost effective job of grubbing an acre or two. Going over that a D7 or D8 class dozer with a rake works better. Been there, done that and still doing it. No matter what you use, you will need to hand pick for years. Be sure you check into your local laws about the amount of ground you can clear and potential terrain alteration. EPA wants to get in on anything over 2 acres per year now.

krackin,
We're currently doing what you're describing on a smaller, more passive scale. Our land was selectively harvested three years ago and all the slash was left to compost. I'll consider doing that with the stumps.

When I was young we just fenced in the woods and let the cattle pasture through the woods. Thet loved the brush and grasses in the woods and the acrons in fall. After 2 years the WS worked the soil and we seeded clovers and more grasses and they grew great under the old hardwoods. Plus the cows got good shade and wind break

As I understand it, Highland cattle work extremely well for brushing out areas. I'm toying with the idea.

I cut my main farm out of the woods and pine barrens starting in '97. I had a couple small cleared areas for large gardens previously,4 acres or so. My farm is a hobby gone out of control. I add tillable ground each year, or at least improve cleared areas. I don't expect to need big dozers now. It is better to long term plan using nature to keep costs down once you have enough quality ground to operate with.

I started with loamy sand at best. I now run at least 11% to 20% organic material in a 8" deep soil test, or did last time I checked 4 years ago. I'm sure it is higher in most areas now. This is mostly for crop production but as some areas get laid to fallow, usually by circumstances not choice, they may become short term hog pasture and often mobbed. It works out one way or another. One must always have plans A through Z.