Logging and land clearing info needed (Oak Ridge, McMinnville: house, purchasing, contractor)

[barnmouse]

We own 34 acres adjacent to our house and want to clear it. Eventually use about 10 to 15 acres for a house and pasture. The rest can be logged as well but we won't need to clear it for pasture, ie the stumps can stay in the ground.

We've head a few people out but no logger seems to work with someone that clears land for pasture. The loggers want to go in and just cut and either leave a low stump that can be the pushed out by whoever clears or one guys said he had the equipment that cuts it pretty flush with the dirt so their machine can drive over it. Some then say you need a root rake to get the stumps out, others say that's the way to go because it leaves the topsoil in place and grows the past pasture later....

In the meantime no land got cleared. My goal is to pay for the clearing of 10 to 15 for pasture with the logging of about 30 acres and just leave trees along the property line for privacy. But I can't seem to get the job done. Its mostly paperwood with some hardwood so not the most lucrative logging but you'd think we could at least break even since we only need 1/3 ready for pasture.

Any ideas? Getting discouraged since we are from out of town and don't what's cools, what isn't. What price or deal to expect without getting the short end of the deal.

Any adivse or leads would be super!

[ML10950]

You might want to check with the Tennessee Department of Enviromental Conservation for reputable logger.

[mrs1885]

Ooooh ooohhh - give me a bit here. We are having ours done out by McMinnville area. They take everything except the stump for papermills, but our neighbor says he knows people that will pull the stumps. We were hoping to break even between the logging company paying us for the hardwood (99% is cypress, oak, and pine) and paying the company to yank up stumps. Doesnt' look like we'll be that lucky, but the neighbor said it may be close and we have 7.25 acres, compared to your 30 plus to log and only - what?? - like 10ish to cclear?? Lemme see what I can find ya!

[Jhubtin]

I would like info on this also. I have 43 arces on top of a ridge with only about 2 acres flat on top which is where the house is. What I would like to do is this: I want about a 50yd wide area cleared from the house to about halfway down the mountain where I can have a nice overlook. But I would like it to be free of stumps so I could have nice pasture grass also. Would make a good sledding field for the kids also. I see other places with beautiful green grass on the side of Mountains and wonder how they go about doing it.

[rob96969]

i have property in east TN on Douglas lake thats due east of knoxville
and im looking for some big straight logs to build a giant cabin with please if the timber u have need of removing that is 30 to 60 feet let me know u can email me at rosadewerff@yahoo.com thanks

[mrs1885]

Sorry barnmouse. The company that is doing ours is like 3 weeks late and we're having a heck of a time getting them out to do it. We'd hoped to have it done by November so we could get some grass seed out before the first good freeze. Don't want to give you a company that's going to take forever to get out there.

[Bingo316]

Hey,

I am a logger from MS and dunno if it might help or not but if what you are describing to be paper wood you wouldn't really get a lot of $ for. It may help in the clearing of your lot but I doubt it will pay for the cost of doing it. Its a lot of work in getting the stumps out of the ground and filling in the holes left in the ground where the roots take a lot of the dirt with them when they come out. If you could afford it, it might be better to try to hire a dirt contractor to remove the trees him self and let him have the trees that you want to remove and ask him to some of the price off of what he charges in exchange for the trees that he can sell himself. Let the rest of the trees grow for a while to become saw timber and then cut them. This way you should get all of your $ back plus some. Hope this might help.

[barnmouse]

thanks for the response. Yes we are slowly coming to the conclusion that it might be smarter to just clear a little of the 34 acres for the house and a path for me to ride through with my horses and to let most of it grow for a few years. I would hate to pay $1,000/acre to clear 34 acres if I could actually be paid for the lumber if I just wait a bit.

[rhinson]

First - Thanks Bingo316 for you input. Since my last visit I have done a little more research. There is a great article about clearing timber on homestead.org. Look under land. Great tips and it explained how to manage your stumps given the right equipment. I watch a heavily wooded lot being cleared near my Alabama home and all of the big trees were pushed over pulling the stumps right out of the ground. The timber guys came in, sawed the lumber off hauled off the good lumber and what was left was also removed.

As for my plan, I am still looking at land in and around the Oak Ridge, TN area. Found a 32 Acres plot and a 40 Acre plot. Both heavily timbered primarily with Oak that has to be 20-25 years old or older. I think I will get estimates on doing selective clearing of some of this land. (I am looking for a "park-like" setting. Anybody know anyone? Maybe I can do this reasonably if we can recover some funds if the timber is good.

Will keep posting as I continue with this.....

Again - Thanks

[v8eater]

[quote=ATA;378795]If you are still interested in land clearing service Moderator cut: no advertising allowed
I might be interested later this year when we move. Planning on purchasing over 30 acres and will need some of it cleared. Where are you from or where do you do most work perfered?

James L.