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You found your patch of paradise, and now it’s time to build your homestead. First, you need to clear that large plot of land. The right strategies make it easy.
Doing so correctly preserves raw materials you can redirect for other purposes and eases your stress load. Here’s how to attack that seemingly mammoth task.
1. Plan and Assess
Many landowners regret going hog wild during excavation the first time the unfiltered sun beats down on their brows on a hot day. While removing trees before building your home is easier and less expensive, clear-cutting isn’t necessarily the best approach. Trees provide shade and lend beauty and value to your property but take time to grow. Why start from scratch if you don’t need to?
Instead of chopping down what you intend to replant, assess your land and plan your layout before commencing work. That includes walking your property. Why does seeing it in person matter when 3D rendering exists? You must assess overall health — removing infested or damaged trees is pricier after building. Preserving a shady elm might not be in your best interest when it’s riddled with disease that spreads to other vegetation.
2. Remove Trees and Vegetation
Once you determine what to remove, clearing your land begins in earnest. Doing so takes much more than a shovel. If investing in equipment, consider these three ways that buying used keeps more money in your pocket:
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Lowers the initial purchase price: A smaller price tag is beneficial if you’re on a tight budget and must consider financing.
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Retains value over time: Much like a car, depreciation can accelerate rapidly when new equipment is taken off the lot.
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Decreases ownership costs: Insurance and financing costs more for new products, and even maintenance may be pricier on newer models as manufacturers iron out bugs.
Here’s another place where walking the property first benefits you. Discerning your vegetation type determines if you need a brush grubber or a mower. You may also need a bulldozer, stump grinder or a combination. Taking along a pro for advice also helps. For example, while some desert vegetation looks easy enough to remove by hand, the roots spread wide and deep and will regrow if not properly removed.
Place the removed vegetation in an inconspicuous area of your plot. Resist the temptation to send it to the dump — doing so could be throwing money away. More on that later.
3. Grade the Site
Once you remove unwanted vegetation, it’s time to level the spots where you intend to build. Grading alters the land’s contours, making it suitable for your use. Once again, you may need heavy equipment, such as a bulldozer, to move the earth from one place to another.
Hiring an architect to help with this step can save you money in the long run by preventing flooding, especially if you plan a basement or live in a moist climate. Sloping the grade around your home to at least a quarter-inch per foot directs rainwater away from your foundation.
4. Consider Controlled Burns
Depending on where you live, a controlled burn may clear your large plot of land quickly while preventing forest fires and adding nutrients to your soil. However, it’s essential to call the pros, and not just to stay on the right side of Joe Law.
The same 20 mph winds that can make starting a fire challenging can spread it out of control just as quickly, endangering you and surrounding properties. Contact the forestry service in your jurisdiction to inquire about your options.
5. Haul and Dispose of Materials Harvested
You might know that composting your discarded eggshells adds valuable nutrients to your garden. Doing the same with the scraps from clearing your plot provides a hefty dose of the good stuff for your prepper’s garden, and you can easily construct a bin from the pallets hardware stores give away for free.
What about larger logs? If you don’t plan to use them in your woodstove, consider selling them to the forestry service, timber or lumber companies for cash. Even partially damaged trees yield a few coins, while those rotted at both ends are “cull,” best left as firewood.
6. Control Erosion and Restore the Site
Before you return any heavy equipment you rented, restore the rest of your site to control erosion. For example, your house on the hill might have the requisite grade, but the rest of your property slopes toward a stream. Over time, your topsoil and the nutrients it contains will wash away, leaving you with stones that resist growing crops. Elevating and grading the surrounding land preserves it for later use.
Even if you don’t plan a victory garden, restoring the site preserves your home’s resale value. Consult with an architect and land-use specialist to identify and address potential problems. Failure to take this step can cost you. Some methods may appear to fail while serving their intended purpose — weigh the comparative price of taking preventive measures against the cost of later restoration.
Expertly Clear a Large Plot of Land
When it’s time to build your homestead, having the right strategy to clear your large plot makes the process easier. It also prevents costly mistakes that can destroy your vision. You must devise a plan and act mindfully to avoid common pitfalls while transforming your dream into reality.
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