The Forestry Forum

Hi Guys,

Not sure if this was the best place to post this or not...? I have been approved for some money through my state's NRCS program to get rid of some invasive species. The plan calls for some type of mechanical removal with a Fecon-type mower followed up with a chemical treatment. My forester can do the chemical treatment but we are at a loss for finding someone with this type of equipment. The job size is rather small, just under 6 acres to be mowed and treated, but the area is somewhat wet. We both agree that a tracked unit, skid-steer type machine with a forestry mower would be perfect. So I am looking for two scenarios:

1. Renting such a unit

2. Hiring the job out

I have no issues in running the equipment myself, I run farm equipment all the time.

I am in central Massachusetts, in Warren. Any leads or info would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Rich

Buy one the loan it to me! :D

I'm second in line after Raider Bill. :D :D :D :D :D

That's helpful guys....  ::) ;)

I'd love to buy one!

My neighbor hired a Fecon-type mower business to come in and mechanically remove 5-6 acres of buckthorn. There were numerous breakdowns and the process took quite a few days. Think they worked for a certain cost per acre tho, so it was on the business owner to cover that cost. That removal was fed funds too, and mechanical followed by chemical treatment.
Used to have some available to rent, but the local equipment dealers have quit renting. Only have them for sale.

4-5 years later, the buckthorn is as healthy as it was before the funded project. Not sure if more treatment will be done or not.

Well, my forester said that while the funding is helpful, two years of treatment is usually not enough. His rule of thumb is if the infestation has been there for 10 years, it'll take 10 years of treatment to truly erradicate it. My/our plan is to use the funds to get the mechanical and first treatment done at which point I can hopefully get in there a few times of year with my brush hog, clearing saw (which I hope to buy soon) and sprayer and continue the treatments under his guidance. His suggestion is to pick a weekend in June each year and commit myself to re-spraying everything myself. Right now though, the multiflora rose is cab roof high on my tractor!

Their is a place in Lynn mass that rents exactly what your looking for. I rented it from them a year ago and worked very well. They also rent a shear head for it as well.

Landry rental center is the name of the place.

Thanks Logmman - I'll look them up!

send me a pm I have a friend who has one here in southern NH.

Congratulations!  The NRCS grants for those purposes can be quite helpful.

I had/have one for some forestry property that was the subject of storm damage. 
I looked into hiring a company that I had used a couple of years ago and they were so booked that I gave up.  Looked around for others and rentals like you.  There are different construction companies that have them but have no idea how to do a NRCS prescription.

I live in a completely different part of the US (so different that sometime it is hard to believe we are in the same country) so things might not be comparable.  If the Landry rental center lead does not pan out try the local CAT rental center.  Here they are named NC CAT Rental Store.  On line search shows you have them near Wareham and Milford.  http://www.catrentalstore.com/ (http://www.catrentalstore.com/)
Very reasonable (depending upon your definition of reasonable) rates.  Rented a 299D-XHP and a Cat 315 mulcher.  I have a really rough area with lots of debris and was quite surprised at how effective it did the job.

We were so pleased that after a week of use we have made the decision to purchase a unit (they are not cheap).  Between the mastication capability for forestry prescriptions and the addition lift capability for timbers and work around the mill that my tractor can't handle we justified it.  The local NRCS forester and the county forester when they found out we were getting one immediately said they had folks that were looking for the service just like you because the big guys did not want to bid on projects of your size.

Not knowing your situation, but if you can't find the resource there are most likely others in the same bucket.  Depending upon your work status and finances, if you purchased you might be able to do what you want for your property and then slowly amortize off the equipment doing work for others that need your services. 

Probably not for you but is at least worth considering/thinking about before discarding as not viable. 
The rental is quite viable however and I would encourage you to do it.

 When you finish that one, I can get you another one in Heath Ma. 5 ac with 3 loads of cordwood 1 load of saw logs.

 I believe FF member @Piston (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=7127) has a neighbor that has the fecon unit in  Upton? Ma.

Deer,

   I know others will sic Poston on me and such but in all seriousness if the invasive species is multiflora rose I'd get some goats and put in there. I moved into my current home 25 years ago and the old fields and surrounding woods, my creek banks such were completely overgrown. I fought them for years but once I finally got a fence up and got some goats they took care of it. They love roses. In winter they would gnaw the bark and girdle the stumps killing everything above. They will clean everything they can reach standing on their hind legs, bend over or on a leaning tree they can climb. I had a mixed herd of mostly alpine sized goats and cleaned all understory up to a height of 6'-7' and let the sunlight in and I now have grass growing in what was roses and brush. I no longer have goats but my horse and mule and the wildlife keep the new growth browsed down and I can trim down the young plants that keep growing outside the pasture. Birds continue to re-plant the place from neighboring roses.

   Not sure if your funding would pay for fencing and a goat herd. At a minimum you would have to have a good woven fence. Forget barb wire or electric unless you are a better man than I am as I never could keep them in with it. A good old nanny or two will cause the others to stay with her. They are very social like that. Any opening over 6"-8" will not hold young kids who will feed on both sides of the fence but won't stray too far from the old ones. They are bad to get horns stuck in the fence sticking their heads through to feed. My son duct taped sections of PVC pipe on which worked but sure resulted in strange looking animals for a while. Butt-headed goats are preferred for this reason if available.

    Good luck.

I wish we were closer, I've got 2 of them. I would do your job, or try to sell you one of them.  :D



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I've had goats,they all should be dehorned. It's really for thier own safety,so they don't get thier horns stuck in a fence. I just had a slab fence,about 5 feet tall.
That DanG snow might get a little deep at DeerMeadowFarm place for the goats too.  ;D

Update so far. Landy called me back. Rental price was $825/day but the delivery and pick up was going to cost $850. That's the killer. I need to find one closer. I did find one a few towns over and I could go there and pick it up myself which would save some money, but their site states that the machine (Kubota SLV90) requires a hoisting license to rent which I don't have (I am exempt from using that type of equipment because of my farm status but I'm not sure how that would play out with a rental unit). The forestry mulcher and the skid steer both require a commercial insurance policy which I don't have either. I got another lead today that Northern Tree may do that type of work so I can check them out as well.
I'm sure renting, assuming all went well, would be the cheaper route. I'd also like to mulch up a couple of other areas that aren't on my conservation plan but really need it as well, so doing it myself is appealing to me. The portion the plan calls for is roughly 6 acres of stuff like this:

 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/26694/014~0.JPG) 

 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/26694/009~3.JPG)

Any ideas on how long it would take to mulch that stuff up? I want to leave as many of the trees as possible.

I just signed a contract with my NRCS to kill 30 acres of buckthorn over the next 5 years. I ordered the largest brush saw I could find and will cut and spray herbicide on stumps. I've used this method in past and it seems to work very well.
I'll let you know how my Stihl 560 works.
Red

Another technique I used to get rid of M. rose before I got the goats was to take a long cable and basically lasso a bunch with a shackle on the noose end and a loop on a ball hitch on the other end on a small tractor. My wife or son would drive and I'd walk around the circle cutting rose clumps off at the base with a chain saw as they drew the loop tighter and tighter. Every time I'd cut a clump the noose would tighten and get easier the tighter it got. When I cut the last clump we'd drag them to a burn pile and burn them up. That worked pretty well. You could string/gerrymander the cable around/between trees you want to save. Takes 2 people to do and you do have to get down and wade/cut paths through the brush but it worked and was a cheap alternative.

I'll admit mowing is much easier but this way I cut/cleared steep hillsides I could not reach with a mower.

Can you mow it with a heavy duty bush hog , then spray?   I cleaned up a few small fields that way and it is a mechanical device.  Or spray it when the leaves sprout then mow it in the fall when its all dead.

The pictures I had don't show the worst. A lot of the multi flora rose is cab high on my 52 HP tractor! The "trnucks" are 4 or 5 inches across and they are big around, intertwined with each other, a real PITA to remove. The barbary and other stuff could be cut down with a good clearing saw but you couldn't get to the middle of some areas.

No one noticed the deer?  ;)

Quote from: DeerMeadowFarm on May 01, 2015, 11:08:06 AM
Update so far. Landy called me back. Rental price was $825/day but the delivery and pick up was going to cost $850. That's the killer. I need to find one closer. I did find one a few towns over and I could go there and pick it up myself which would save some money, but their site states that the machine (Kubota SLV90) requires a hoisting license to rent which I don't have (I am exempt from using that type of equipment because of my farm status but I'm not sure how that would play out with a rental unit). The forestry mulcher and the skid steer both require a commercial insurance policy which I don't have either. I got another lead today that Northern Tree may do that type of work so I can check them out as well.

Do you know what mulching head they have on the Kubota SVL 90? 

Quote from: DeerMeadowFarm on May 01, 2015, 01:17:55 PM
The barbary and other stuff could be cut down with a good clearing saw but you couldn't get to the middle of some areas.

What's there that you can't cut your way through? An FS560 will take down stuff 6" on the stump.

SD
"What's there?" you ask.

You have any experience getting into the center of a multiflora rose clump ??  I'm thinking not..   ;D

And if you do, I apologize. But would really like to see a video of you attacking one with the FS560.

I think someone else was dealing with the rose issue, but if there is rose or hawthorn or armed wild plum, all bets are off. :D

No, our woods here outright kills that stuff out when trees take over, but abandoned pastures still in succession, who knows what lurks. :D

I rented the one from landry and let me tell you it won't take long at all to clear what's in your pictures.  I mulched way more thicker stuff even small trees. It made very short work of it. I averaged about a acre an hour. Northern tree does do that type of work as well. I'm good friends with Phil cambo the owner.

The last I heard, you could watch a video at the rental store and you were good for two weeks for a HE machine. I'd tell them you are ag, and exempt.

I thought I saw a deer in the middle of the first pic. But my eyes are not real good so I thought I was seeing things.

Quote from: Holmes on April 28, 2015, 09:35:45 PM
I believe FF member @Piston (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=7127) has a neighbor that has the fecon unit in  Upton? Ma.

Dana's right, I have had my neighbor do some work for me on my land when converting a section of trees and brush to what is now the nicest section of lawn on my lot.  It's amazing how well these machines work.  If you could rent one I think that would be the most "fun" way to go, but if your looking for the best outcome I think hiring would give the best finish.  I'm sure RedProspector would agree that a mulching machine would make quick work of the 6 acres you have from the looks of the two pics you posted.  I had many "trees" mulched as well as giant piles of pine branches and tops, and even some of the branches were the size of trees.  I think it took him a couple hours to completely mulch 3 big piles of brush/tops, as well as a half acre of brush and debris.

If you'd like his contact info then either PM me or post here and I'll PM you his contact info.  As far as price, I don't know exactly what he would charge for your job, but based on the rental price you posted I think his prices are extremely competitive. (assuming the rental is for an 8hr day?)

He uses an ASV 100 with Fecon mulcher, and also has a grapple as well as a 16" tree shear.  He is a one man show and always seems to have work by the looks of it, I think he charges too little quite honestly but it works for him and pays his bills so I guess it's a win win.  I know he has done work for the state before as well so I assume he is familiar with the grants process.   

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Good luck with the project and keep us posted with how it turns out, regardless of what method you choose  ;D

It's hard to say from a picture, and depends on the operator. But with a 100 hp. class machine like that ASV and a Fecon head, he should be able to walk through 6 acres of what was pictured pretty quick. I'm sure that the stuff you guy's have mulches different than what we have here, but it shouldn't take long at all.
There is a big learning curve for operating a mulcher. I'm sure you could do it, but like Piston said, I think the best outcome would be to hire it done. These machines were originally called "masticators". To masticate means to chew. I've learned that some people "chew" better than others (just food for thought).  ;D

I sent you a PM Piston; thanks for the lead.

I have a call into my NRCS rep. I got a letter in the mail last week about some long eared bat being listed as endangered recently. This listing may impact my thinning measure but shouldn't impact the timing of my invasive species erradication. Regardless, my contact has to come out to the land with a rep from the wildlife department to go over the plan with them and get the go-ahead.

I'm getting anxious to get this project under way!

Quote from: DeerMeadowFarm on April 28, 2015, 10:48:32 AM
... The job size is rather small, just under 6 acres to be mowed and treated, but the area is somewhat wet. We both agree that a tracked unit, skid-steer type machine with a forestry mower would be perfect...

I work with a guy in Upton who runs an ASV RC100 w/mulcher head (I take care of the trees; he does the rest). Might be what you're looking for. Takes a fair amount of skill and experience to run one of these, though; I wouldn't advise running one yourself. Might be the same guy Piston knows.

Quote from: pwheel on May 19, 2015, 10:02:03 AM

Quote from: DeerMeadowFarm on April 28, 2015, 10:48:32 AM
... The job size is rather small, just under 6 acres to be mowed and treated, but the area is somewhat wet. We both agree that a tracked unit, skid-steer type machine with a forestry mower would be perfect...

I work with a guy in Upton who runs an ASV RC100 w/mulcher head (I take care of the trees; he does the rest). Might be what you're looking for. Takes a fair amount of skill and experience to run one of these, though; I wouldn't advise running one yourself. Might be the same guy Piston knows.

I'm sure it is, Ed is the only guy in town I know of with a machine like that!

I gave him a call and he'll set something up in the next few days to come and take a look at it. Thanks guys!  8)

Well, this has taken longer than it probably should have, but the guy is going to start brush mowing this Sunday. I am excited! Pictures to follow....

Looking forward to your pictures.  Out here all operations have been shutdown due to fire dangers.

We were on hold here for a while due to the long eared bat, but that cutting ban is lifted now.

Quote from: pine on August 26, 2015, 11:53:06 AM
Looking forward to your pictures.  Out here all operations have been shutdown due to fire dangers.

Any hopes for this weekend?

I had a guy scheduled to come out 9/2 to mow some brambles so I can plant seedlings, and he re-scheduled yesterday due to fire danger.  But I'm near the front of the line when they lift the restrictions.

Are brambles tall canes like raspberries and salmonberry? That's some work keeping them back so trees can get going. Up here 8 foot raspberries usually win. Hope you have success, it's quite a chore.  ;)

Quote from: enigmaT120 on August 27, 2015, 12:14:14 PM

Any hopes for this weekend?

I had a guy scheduled to come out 9/2 to mow some brambles so I can plant seedlings, and he re-scheduled yesterday due to fire danger.  But I'm near the front of the line when they lift the restrictions.

Actually there is very little hope for the near future. 
Even when it gets out of IFPL 4 and goes to 3 or less there will still be the pump truck or trailer requirement in effect.  While I have one, it is a pain to move it to site (and requires an extra trip on both ends.)  Then have to shut down operations at 1 PM and do fire watch for the next hour.  Really limits how much work can be done in such a short day (1 PM termination of all ops).  Of course it has to improve or get good enough to get an IFPL 3 or less level.  Right now no ops allowed at any time of day with the level 4.

Quote from: SwampDonkey on August 27, 2015, 04:08:59 PM
Are brambles tall canes like raspberries and salmonberry? That's some work keeping them back so trees can get going. Up here 8 foot raspberries usually win. Hope you have success, it's quite a chore.  ;)

Himalayan blackberry, salmon berry, vine maple thickets that a deer can't even get through, yes stuff like that.  As far as keeping seedlings going it is a vegetation control fight for the first three years post planting, or the competing vegetation chokes out any seedling growth.  Mechanical as well as herbicide control have to be used.  The seeds of the Himalayan blackberry can lie dormant a very long time, it is said in the literature on the subject that if you can keep it from going to seed there is a 5 year period in which new growth will be found from the existing seed bed. 
It is well classified by the gov't as an invasive species.

All of what Pine said.  Also, as soon as it's opened up the Scotch Broom will be trying to get established there, too. 

I'm kind of hoping some of the vine maple around here will give the deer something to eat besides my baby western red cedars. 

I got nearly an inch of rain over the weekend.

OK here are the pics as promised. Ed started mowing Saturday and we are very happy with the results so far!
Just starting:


 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/26694/003~5.JPG)

These were taken Sunday morning (we were haying all day Saturday and didn't get to check out his work until the next day)


 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/26694/008~8.JPG)

Finish of the mulching:


 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/26694/006~4.JPG)

Good enough that my wife and daughter were walking around it in flip flops....  ::)


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In this area, you can see how high the brush was where he punched a path through:


 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/26694/007~4.JPG)

The beast! This is my new "what would I buy if I won the lottery" dream toy!


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He opened up a couple of apple trees that we didn't even know we had. We found some really cool rocks as well; pic's of those to follow. He is mowing there today and I am taking Thursday afternoon and Friday off to work with him. I'll be sure to post more pics.

Looks awesome!  It's amazing how much progress you can make in a day with that thing! 

Day 2's progress. Probably as much as he did the first day plus or minus a little but I think he started later too. We are talking about possibly using an excavator as well. The problem he is having is twofold:
1. Some of the trees are too big for him to get around. In some instances, this is OK for me. I hope to save as many apple and Maple trees as I can that we find. I will be working Thursday afternoon, all day Friday (vacation day) and except for going to a local fair one day with my 89 year old dad, I'll probably be working in the area most of the long weekend cutting the trees that are hindering him that we don't plan to keep.
2. There are a lot of rocks in there. I've been going in with my tractor with a stone bucket on after he leaves and have pulled a bunch out which will help, but some are too big to lift (although I can "flip" them out of the way) and there are a few that are just going to have to stay and become "rock features"; anything short of dynamite won't move them!
I am hoping to open things up for him enough to mow everything that needs mowing and put off the excavator work towards the end of the project so we can see what money we have left.
Anyway, here are the pics I took last night before my rock removal:


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Opened up an old silted-in farm pond. I'd love to be able to dig this out at some point. When we bought the property 15 years ago it still held a little water in the spring but it's been pretty dried up now for years:


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More areas:


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One of the big flat rocks my wife said "Oooh, can you bring that up to the house for my garden?"


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And here's that rock with the semi-sphere carved out of it. Any ideas what this could be?


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Did he bid the job or is he working on an hourly basis/daily basis?
Curious to know what he is charging for that area and the work he is doing?

It's an hourly rate. PM sent.

Any ideas how you are going to kill those cattails? They have invaded my pond.

#2 a dinosaur's foot print and #3 his jaw bone. :D

The only good place for a rock is at the bottom of a bog.   ;D  I have spent many hours just working around rocks. If I had money enough,I would rid my mowing land of rocks.

I bet that will get the sparks flying when he hit a rock that size.  :o

Quote from: Raider Bill on September 02, 2015, 05:12:42 PM
Any ideas how you are going to kill those cattails? They have invaded my pond.

No idea yet.

Quote from: SwampDonkey on September 02, 2015, 05:34:41 PM
#2 a dinosaur's foot print and #3 his jaw bone. :D

Ha!  :D

Quote from: thecfarm on September 02, 2015, 07:50:26 PM
The only good place for a rock is at the bottom of a bog.   ;D  I have spent many hours just working around rocks. If I had money enough,I would rid my mowing land of rocks.

I hear ya Ray it's a never ending battle....

Quote from: lopet on September 02, 2015, 08:43:31 PM
I bet that will get the sparks flying when he hit a rock that size.  :o

It's surprisingly not too bad....

That looks like a good business for a one man show to get into.  I would imagine it gets a little slow during the frosty and muddy months here in the North East, but an entrepreneurial individual would probably find something to do during the slow time.  Sure does a good job and leave a desirable finished product behind.  Does the feller that did your lot keep his machine pretty busy?

Murph- I've been trying to schedule him since reply 28 from Piston so is say he keeps pretty busy!

Quote from: cfarmThe only good place for a rock is at the bottom of a bog.

For some reason this reminds me of a line from King's 'Pet Semetary'
"What you bury, you own.  And what you own, always comes back..."

Happy birthday, Ray.  May your path be clear of nubby granite for at least the next 24. ;D

I took a couple more pictures. Got a little soft in this section....



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Making progress....



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Skidding out some of the trees I'm thinning:



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Looking great! 

I bet you were happy you had that winch on the back of the tractor when it disappeared into the mud!

Give me a holler if you need those stumps ground down :)

Well done!

Quote from: Piston on September 08, 2015, 01:50:16 PM
Looking great! 

I bet you were happy you had that winch on the back of the tractor when it disappeared into the mud!

Give me a holler if you need those stumps ground down :)

Actually, the winch didn't help because I needed to go forward not back. I had my wife come down with the dump truck. Broke a tow rope that I've had for years but used chains and finally tugged her out.

I will need the stumps ground down at some point! PM me with prices please!

Wildlife is liking the mowing. My wife snapped this pic with her phone (not the best quality) on her way down the driveway this morning:


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What is that? Almost looks like a big cat?

Now that is stuck!!
Bobcat?? Lynx??

Bobcat. We're too far south for Lynx.

Found this yesterday as I was using the tractor to rip some brush away from the bigger rocks where we are mowing. Pretty chewed up but cool none the less....


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Looks like it is laying in snow.. but assume not. Rabbits like to gnaw on them when on the ground.
That would not be good for your tractor tire...

Quote from: beenthere on September 10, 2015, 11:37:25 AM
Looks like it is laying in snow.. but assume not. Rabbits like to gnaw on them when on the ground.
That would not be good for your tractor tire...

No, that's just the coloration of the rock I found it on. My buddy got an antler in his tire in his hay field once....not a good thing... :(

that's a nice looking cat  must have been looking for mice/moles/rabbits after the mowing  when a friend mows his 5a field by his house we sit and just before dark the coyotes will come out looking for mice/moles then they get lead poison  :)

Just saw this beast. This would go great on my T320
http://diamondmowers.com/pages/forestry-attachments?gclid=CLq_r53V8McCFcHGGwoddoEKiA (http://diamondmowers.com/pages/forestry-attachments?gclid=CLq_r53V8McCFcHGGwoddoEKiA)

Just a few more pictures of this project. We've done about as much as we can here. I have money for one more day for him to do some smoothing/rock/stump removal with his excavator so I can keep this area brush-hogged, and grind the few remaining brush piles. I have some areas I'll need to go with my clearing saw to cut the few remaining invasive species left in the forested area, then I can get it inspected. I'm really happy with the results. we uncovered a lot of apple trees, cedar and maples I never knew we had! Too bad the bittersweet killed so many trees, but it won't go to waste. The whole area that I show cleared in the rest of the pictures started out like this picture taken from the cab of the forestry mulcher:


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When using the mulcher in that terrain and over-growth what was his area of coverage/work per day.  I.E. how many acres/day was he able to do ?

Looks nice and he did a good job. 

The terrain where these pictures were taken was very rough; many of the rocks were buried already or moved. The total area Shown here and another spot on the other side of the property) totaled around 7 acres. This coming weekend will be the 6th or 7th day he has come up, but 2 to 3 of those days were spent on the excavator so it's tough to tell. I'd say the other section he did, which had brush around the 5 or 6 foot high level didn't have as many rocks and was close to 2 acres and he did that in about 6 hours...?

The pictures look great, I love the changing leaves in the background!

Looks like he did a pretty good job. Should be grass growing there in no time.  ;)

Will you have to spray herbicides to keep that stuff from coming right back?  I'm hoping I get enough rain in the next couple of weeks that the blackberries will grow enough before they go dormant so I can spray them.  I want to plant my trees this winter.

Quote from: enigmaT120 on October 18, 2015, 01:32:39 PM
Will you have to spray herbicides to keep that stuff from coming right back?  I'm hoping I get enough rain in the next couple of weeks that the blackberries will grow enough before they go dormant so I can spray them.  I want to plant my trees this winter.

It is getting a bit late for spraying unless you can hit them in the next week and even then it is pushing it out in our neck of the woods.

There were some studies that were done that showed that herbicides would be significantly less effective after a season of drought. 
I was concerned about that this year. 

After a bit of research, I did my last spray in late September and had good effects using Triclopyr ester at 90% recommended rate and increasing the surfactant by 50%.  It seemed to defeat the study's results but they were using straight recommended rates.  Decreasing the Triclopyr slows down the process of it dying but allows the system to more fully pull it all the way into the roots before the system shock occurs.  Increasing the surfactant also breaks down the extra drought hardening of the plant.

Quote from: enigmaT120 on October 18, 2015, 01:32:39 PM
Will you have to spray herbicides to keep that stuff from coming right back?

Yes. Part of this improvement measure requires two sprayings. My contact at NCRS will come out shortly to inspect the "mechanical removal" of the invasive species. Next spring when they start to regenerate I will do the first spraying. He will come out again at that time to note the brown/dead vegetation indicating a successful first spray. When it regenerates again, I will need to spray and have another inspection. At that point, they should release the cost-share money to me. In reality, I will need to continue to spray even after they consider them "controlled". In the areas we have smoothed out I will plant clover/grass to help choke them out further and I should be able to get in there a few times a year to easily brush hog.

Yesterday was the last day I had Ed out there. We got everything smoothed out pretty good; good enough to brush hog anyway. I am very happy with the results. I need to use my forestry clearing saw to run around and zip a few of the barberry and bittersweet thet was growing too close to the trees we wanted to save or in the areas too rough to get into, then I can get the rep from NCRS to come out and inspect.

I wasn't expecting this when we were working yesterday!


 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/26694/c_003.JPG)

Luckily I was able to get a good bushel of apples the day before. Not a bad harvest from a tree we didn't even know we had until we mowed the brush! Wife made a pie with some of them last night; very yummy!



 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/26694/c_001.JPG)

You did a very nice job on the work that you have had done.  Keep it up and the long term effects will put a smile on your face every time you look at it.

QuoteMy contact at NCRS will come out shortly

Is that http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/site/national/home/   ??

That looks good. I am claiming a pasture. I brought a flair mower to keep up on it. Not a cheap thing to own but it does a nice job on keeping the junk down. After a few years,grass comes back all by itself.

@ Beenthere - Yes. I have 4 "contract items" that they are allowing money for. 2 of them are related to invasive species removal. One is "Access Control" which is essentially marking my boundaries. They allow so much per foot of boundary marked. I'm doing all of that myself since I just had the property surveyed anyway. The last item is a "crop release" where I will receive money for releasing 20 sugar maple trees per acre in one of my stands. I will do all the work for that as well. So, basically, what I am paying out of my pocket above what they allow for the invasive species will be made up by the other two items since I won't have to pay anything for those. I should break even at worst or be ahead by a couple of hundred when it's all said and done.

Ray - I am looking for a flail mower myself! I think that would be best in that area. I want to get one heavy enough to put the brush knives on it but you are right; they're not cheap!

Just remember the NRCS payments are reported on the 1099 form, line 6 I think, so you will pay marginal tax rate (whatever that is for you) on that so it is harder to break even than it seems at first glance.

Right, but when I file my farm taxes, the money I spent this year will go towards my expenditures for the year. Next year when I get paid it will be reflected as "income". So, as I understand it, this year will be OK.

Quote from: DeerMeadowFarm on October 20, 2015, 01:46:58 PM
Right, but when I file my farm taxes, the money I spent this year will go towards my expenditures for the year. Next year when I get paid it will be reflected as "income". So, as I understand it, this year will be OK.

My NRCS experience has been the CIN that is inspected is paid very shortly after it has been verified by the NRCS representative.  Thus if 2 of the CIN's are for invasive species removal, you may get paid for it this year and the other two CIN's for boundary marking and release paid when you do them.  Not knowing exactly when your contract was signed but there is a requirement for the first practice to be accomplished in the first year.  Assuming that that is the case for you, and you did these two CIN's there may be a requirement to pay you as well.  Talk to you NRCS rep to see if you can manipulate it to your benefit.  I know back in 2011 I had my inspection in late December but asked the NRCS rep to drag their feet on the paperwork so that it was not paid until 2 January for tax purposes.

Good point Pine. I won't be eligible for payment on the invasive stuff until next year. After mechanical removal, I have to do two chemical treatments. That means I need the stuff to start regenerating, spray it, have them inspect the brown/dead regrowth, wait until it regenerates again, spray it, and have them inspect it one last time. The only CI that is due for this year is the access control which we will do over the next month or so. I have all the material, just waiting for more leaves to drop so I can see the lines better.

Wow I like the way my contract was written much better as to payment schedule. 
Of course mine was not just to get rid of invasives but to get ride of invasives, replant with seedlings, and then control the invasives for 2 years.
As a result each item is a different CIN and thus I could be paid separately.  I choose to  clump several CIN's together just for bookkeeping ease.

Either way with the work you have done, your place is really looking good.

Thanks Pine!

Quote from: pine on October 18, 2015, 06:51:03 PM
It is getting a bit late for spraying unless you can hit them in the next week and even then it is pushing it out in our neck of the woods.

That's what I'm concerned about, too.  But my mowed area looks like the ones in the pics in this thread, and there's nothing there alive for my spray to work on.  But it will be back.  I guess I'll just have to mow and spray around my baby trees, ugh. 

Most of my remaining blackberries still have lots of green leaves, have barely begun to turn color, and I think the spray will still work on them.  But not on the mowed areas.  I did a bunch a couple of weeks ago.  Having to work 6 days a week isn't helping.

Quote from: enigmaT120 on October 21, 2015, 05:20:00 PM
Having to work 6 days a week isn't helping.

I hear you. I'm thankful for having a job, but I wish I had more time to work on my property!

That one apple pie that your wife made from the apple tree's you didn't even know you had, made it all worth it I'm sure!  That is awesome!

Thanks for the comments Matt and especially for hooking me up with Ed. I think we actually became friends and we are looking forward to having him do more work on our property when we get reimbursed from this first project!

Quote from: DeerMeadowFarm on October 26, 2015, 10:23:43 AM
Thanks for the comments Matt and especially for hooking me up with Ed. I think we actually became friends and we are looking forward to having him do more work on our property when we get reimbursed from this first project!

No problem Rich, glad everything worked out in your favor with the funding!  I looked into some land reclamation funding programs for my NH land a few years back, and spoke to the county forester about it, but I didn't really understand how it worked and kind of dropped the ball on it. 

I might consider looking back into it now that I've heard a "success story", although different state by state I'm sure. 

Hi. I'm looking for a forestry mulcher to do some work in wilbraham ma. I was wondering if you had contact info for who you had do yours in warren. Any info would be great. Thanks

If you don't hear back from deermeadowfarm just shoot me a PM and I can give you the contact info.

Quote from: llacwasan on October 05, 2016, 09:11:38 PM
Hi. I'm looking for a forestry mulcher to do some work in wilbraham ma. I was wondering if you had contact info for who you had do yours in warren. Any info would be great. Thanks

Check your PM's

How do you find out what programs NRCS offers for woodlands?   There must be more than just stopping in the office and asking, What can I get money for?

Ask your state forester. He done my land management plan and he signed me up for equip, which they turned me down for. I then got with the local NWTF forester and he did me a wildlife management plan. I got approved for that one. I got approved to remove invasive species(tree of heaven) and put in a 8 acre food plot for turkeys. The money was good seems like they payed me to much for removing the tree of heaven and not enough on clearing the ground on the 8 acre opening/ food plot. You get a 1099 and have to pay taxes on it. I claim farm on everything and usually do decent on the taxes. You have one year to do each task on the list, at least for me anyway. I have sprayed two different parts of my property for tree of heaven and now I got till December of 2017 to clear 8 acres.

Quote from: brianJ on October 06, 2016, 05:11:44 PM
How do you find out what programs NRCS offers for woodlands?   There must be more than just stopping in the office and asking, What can I get money for?

Actually, that's kind of what I did. I did have a forestry plan written and my forester told me that there were all sorts of programs, but it was only when I made an appointment with my local NRCS rep did I learn what was possible. It's been well worth it for me so far.

Hey Deermeadow or piston..Do either of you still have the contact info for the guy that did the work for you? Im over in grafton (next town over from Upton) and looking to hire someone to come mulch up my over grown back / side yards.  Just moved into the house in November and previous owner was an elderly woman that couldn't keep up with the yard.  I have 2 small kids and would love to give them a yard to play in but just don't know where to start. I saw some videos while doing research and saw the mulching machines and figured that looks exactly like what I would need to clear this out.

Thanks in advance

Rob

Quote from: geeeerad on April 03, 2017, 09:02:38 AM
Hey Deermeadow or piston..Do either of you still have the contact info for the guy that did the work for you? Im over in grafton (next town over from Upton) and looking to hire someone to come mulch up my over grown back / side yards.  Just moved into the house in November and previous owner was an elderly woman that couldn't keep up with the yard.  I have 2 small kids and would love to give them a yard to play in but just don't know where to start. I saw some videos while doing research and saw the mulching machines and figured that looks exactly like what I would need to clear this out.

Thanks in advance

Rob

I think you sent me an e-mail asking this correct? Or was it someone else..?

Hey DeerMeadow Farm

How did you make out with your project and who and what did you end up using?  I have the same thing going at my place in NH under a NRCS program.

The project went well. I used a gentlemen named Ed Barry. I think he'd be quite a haul for you though.