# Planning new tree farm



## cutlass (Apr 15, 2002)

I am a new member to this forum. I hope some of you can help me. It looks like there are a lot of knowledgeable people here so here is my question!! 
I plan to plant around 1500 shade trees and evergreens for my own future tree business.
I have 100 acres in Ontario Canada with around 80 acres wooded. I need to cut most of it down to make room for the plantation.
QUESTIONS!
Is a bulldozer the easiest way to remove stumps?
What is the best way to prepare the ground for planting?
Are there any books, websites that deal with this type of project?

This is only a start for my questions but I don't want to scare you guys off yet. Any help would be great especially from someone who did this already, I don't want to make costly mistakes!!
Thanks
Cutlass


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## Newfie (Apr 15, 2002)

Where are you planning on getting your planting stock? They would be likely to provide you with the best info on site and bed prep.
Around here we pop stumps with tracked excavators, as opposed to bulldozers. You are better able to get under and around the stump and pop it out of the ground. Also works good to load all those stumps in a truck to be hauled away.

Just my opinions, I will of course defer to my more learned colleagues with more practical experience.


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## treeman82 (May 6, 2002)

Your best bet would most likely be to rent as big a tub grinder as you can for like a month as well as a BIG excavator with the hydraulic thumb. Cut down whatever trees you need to, run the brush through the grinder and sell off whatever logs you can for lumber. Pop the stumps and run them through the grinder as well. Pile up all of those chips and once you have your young trees planted mulch the whole place over. This will help with erosion, water holding capabilities, nutrient retension, and a whole bunch of other things. You may want to double or even triple grind these stump / branches and make a stock pile of mulch to sell off as a side business. You may not make much off of the lumber, firewood?, and mulch, but they will all help you to offset the costs of clearing, planting, and maintenance. Also, if while you are clearing you come across lots of ferns, or other marketable plants, dig them up if it is feisable and plant them in an appropriate location on the property to sell later on.


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## John Paul Sanborn (May 6, 2002)

In a farm of any sort your soil is your biggest asset. By running the heavy equipment over it you aredestroying the porosit of the soil. Have you looked at a land clearing machie like the Gyro-Trac or Rayco Hydrostumper?


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