How to Clear Land for Farming
Farmland clearing should ideally be carried out during late fall or early winter to minimize soil compaction and to prevent unnecessary soil being discarded along with the brush. Clearing land for farming purposes takes time, organization and most of all, hard work. The end result is farmland that is clear of obstacles and overgrowth that may impede plowing or everyday farming activities. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Brush removal machine
- Tractor
- Trailer
- Shovels
- Chainsaw
- Heavy-duty chains
Instructions
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Pick up rocks and stones from the acreage that you have targeted to become farmland and place the rocks in a trailer for later removal. Larger rocks and boulders may be unearthed and removed from the farmland with the help of a tractor and heavy-duty chains.
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2
Back-fill with dirt any holes left from the boulders that you have cleared. Tamp down the fresh dirt in the hole to ensure that enough new soil has been added into the depression.
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3
Cut down the trees in your selected farming area, using a chainsaw. Firewood may be cut from the felled trees at this time. The firewood can then be removed from the area and stacked in a suitable location for future use. The resulting tree stumps are removed by digging around each stump, attaching a heavy-duty chain around the entire stump and using a tractor to uproot it. The stumps are then dragged away for burning or furniture making.
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4
Remove with a brush machine any dense vegetation and thickets on your farmland. Organic debris piles left over from the brush work may be shredded, composted or simply burned on the spot.
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Plow the surface vegetation of your cleared land to enrich the soil with organic matter and to provide future crops with added nutrients. Avoid plowing near drainage areas and gullies, where the natural growth of weeds and grasses should be encouraged to prevent further soil erosion.
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Tips & Warnings
Avoid clearing land for farming purposes during the summer months, when serious dust issues may arise, potentially causing discord with neighboring farms.
When you are clearing the land, ensure proper precautions are taken to avoid overhead power lines and buried cables.
