clearing a field

Slig

I have about 1/3 acre behind the house that is completely overgrown with briars, willow and various other saplings. It's a real mess. My first idea was to clear it with a mini digger and I made a start towards the end of last year, got 2 sides cleared but ended up was a massive pile of branches and nowhere to put it. What do people normally do in this situation. Eventually I want to grow some veg here so i have to clear ot completely and all the roots are probably going to be a problem aswell

mordeith

Slig wrote: »

I have about 1/3 acre behind the house that is completely overgrown with briars, willow and various other saplings. It's a real mess. My first idea was to clear it with a mini digger and I made a start towards the end of last year, got 2 sides cleared but ended up was a massive pile of branches and nowhere to put it. What do people normally do in this situation. Eventually I want to grow some veg here so i have to clear ot completely and all the roots are probably going to be a problem aswell

I'd say you'd have to deep dig it to clear it properly. Willow and briars are brutal for regrowth if the roots aren't removed

Slig

Sounds expensive. I presume the topsoil containing the roots wouldn't be suitable to reuse

Bass Reeves

Clean it and allow regrowth then spray with a brushwood killer. You may have to spray it again 6-12 months later

Never wrestle with pigs

Anyone around with a Mulcher?

gozunda

Pigs.

Simple answer is fence it for pigs - electric and other fencing behind that and let them get to work.

Pigs will clear scrub and rank vegetation and dig down to get the roots. Theres bugger all they won't eat. If you have a herd number already - you'll be ok afaik. When their finished send them off to be killed and you'll have the best tasting free range pork ever ....

If there is willow in there - go in and cut it to lenghts and season in a shed - make handy firewood for a stove or fireplace

Henwin

do you need a special herd number to keep a couple of pigs if you are a dairy farmer? i thought i heard before that they are strict about farmers keeping pigs because of the feed situation, i could be wrong.i would love to keep a few pigs.

wrangler

Slig wrote: »

I have about 1/3 acre behind the house that is completely overgrown with briars, willow and various other saplings. It's a real mess. My first idea was to clear it with a mini digger and I made a start towards the end of last year, got 2 sides cleared but ended up was a massive pile of branches and nowhere to put it. What do people normally do in this situation. Eventually I want to grow some veg here so i have to clear ot completely and all the roots are probably going to be a problem aswell

Farmers usually burn it, you could hire a shredder also and mulch it into a pile

something like this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8VHE-gmpd4

charolais0153

Henwin wrote: »

do you need a special herd number to keep a couple of pigs if you are a dairy farmer? i thought i heard before that they are strict about farmers keeping pigs because of the feed situation, i could be wrong.i would love to keep a few pigs.

You need a pig herd number thing.

Slig

Pigs would be the ideal if they'd eat the roots. It makes sense to avoid spray if I can. I have nothing against it but if I'm producing anything from the land it would have to be organic to give any sort of return. There'll be a fair bit of work even fencing it off, it's so overgrown. Maybe getting a mulcher into do the perimeter wouldn't be a bad idea. I assume it would department I'd have to contact about a herd number?

Markcheese

Mulch the whole lot then go with a few piggies.. An electric fence will keep them in easily... If you break it up in to paddocks you move the pigs along and start a garden on a small section... Before the pigs are gone..

gozunda

Slig wrote: »

Pigs would be the ideal if they'd eat the roots. It makes sense to avoid spray if I can. I have nothing against it but if I'm producing anything from the land it would have to be organic to give any sort of return. There'll be a fair bit of work even fencing it off, it's so overgrown. Maybe getting a mulcher into do the perimeter wouldn't be a bad idea. I assume it would department I'd have to contact about a herd number?

Check out department website or just give them a call. For fencing I recommend sheep wire fencing on perimeter and electric pig fence (2 strand) on the inside. Train young pigs to the electric fence and they won't try to escape. They the will root out briars and other roots - they will dig up the soil as well. A cut out IBC tank or similar will provide shelter with some bedding. Don't forget water as well. If there are willow trees it's a good idea to cut these down and use for firewood etc.

Slig

The willow is still fairly young - 50 -75mm dia generally. It'll probably be good kindling but it'll take a fair bit of work to chop it up. Something to keep me busy.
Really happy to hear that there are practical, sustainable solutions. Thanks to everyone for the advice

Base price

Here is a link to the DAFM website for all things piggy.
https://www.agriculture.gov.ie/animalhealthwelfare/animalidentificationmovement/nationalpigidentificationandtracingsystem/

ganmo

Slig wrote: »

Pigs would be the ideal if they'd eat the roots. It makes sense to avoid spray if I can. I have nothing against it but if I'm producing anything from the land it would have to be organic to give any sort of return. There'll be a fair bit of work even fencing it off, it's so overgrown. Maybe getting a mulcher into do the perimeter wouldn't be a bad idea. I assume it would department I'd have to contact about a herd number?

i think theres more of a return by selling locally. the organic certification takes min 2 years so you can use chemicals until you start that process

I'd look at the figures closely if you're after a return from organic pigs

Who2

Get a lad in with a decent sized track machine and clear back the lot, heap it up and burn it then bury the remains. There’s talk here as if it was thirty acres not 1/3 of an acre. A good lad on a machine will clear it in hours.

Base price

Who2 wrote: »

Get a lad in with a decent sized track machine and clear back the lot, heap it up and burn it then bury the remains. There’s talk here as if it was thirty acres not 1/3 of an acre. A good lad on a machine will clear it in hours.

Ah, but you would need some set of teeth to eat a decent sized track machine

Bass Reeves

Problem is not clearing it but regrowth's. Not sure if pigs will even sort that. With organics there is always a transition period. While pigs might cleard it over 1-2 years spraying might be a handier option

gozunda

Bass Reeves wrote: »

Problem is not clearing it but regrowth's. Not sure if pigs will even sort that. With organics there is always a transition period. While pigs might cleard it over 1-2 years spraying might be a handier option

Used pigs to clear old overgrown walled garden - they did some job. Ate Briars the lot & they dug it up. For 1/3 acre pigs will clear it in a year imo no problem. Wasn't much left for regrowth tbh.