Land in this part of Michigan does not stay open on its own. Stop mowing a pasture and within a few years you have box elder, autumn olive, buckthorn and multiflora rose closing in from the edges. Fence lines go first, then the corners, then the open ground.
What you are actually fighting
Around Armada, Richmond and Almont it is usually the same mix: box elder and cottonwood seeding in along fence lines, autumn olive and honeysuckle forming thickets, buckthorn taking over shaded edges, and multiflora rose making it all unpleasant to walk through. Most of it resprouts aggressively when cut, which is why mowing it once rarely settles the matter.
Brush hogging versus forestry mulching
A brush hog handles grass, weeds and saplings up to roughly an inch or two, and is the right tool for maintaining a field that is only a season or two behind.
Forestry mulching equipment chews through heavier growth, small trees and thick brush, and leaves the material behind as chips. That is what an overgrown fence line or a parcel that has gone ten years without attention usually needs.
Best time of year
Late fall through winter is ideal. The ground is firm, sight lines are clear with the leaves down, and ground nesting wildlife is not disturbed. Frozen ground also means far less rutting from machinery. Summer clearing works, but soft ground after rain means damage that has to be repaired afterward.
Keeping it back
Clearing is the first pass. Whatever resprouts will do so within a season or two, so plan on maintenance: mowing the field annually, keeping fence lines cut back, and dealing with stumps in places where you want to run equipment. Fence lines that get cut back every year or two stay easy. Ones left for a decade become a project again.
What comes out with it
Old fence wire, posts, drain tile and general farm debris tend to surface during clearing. Worth mentioning up front so it does not become a surprise on the day, and worth walking the line beforehand if you know there is wire in there.
Common Questions
How often does a field need cutting to stay open?
Once a year is usually enough to keep a field from turning back into brush. Fence lines left more than a few seasons start growing woody material that needs heavier equipment.
What is the best time of year to clear?
Late fall through winter. The ground is firm, sight lines are clear and there is less disturbance to ground nesting wildlife.
Do the stumps have to come out?
Only where you want to run equipment or build. For a field being returned to mowing, cutting low and grinding the obstacles is usually enough.
Get a Free Estimate
Fields, pastures, trails and fence lines, cleared and cut back. Tip Top Timber Co. is based in Armada and works throughout Macomb County, St. Clair County and the surrounding area. Call (586) 651-5488 or send us a message for a free estimate. If a tree is already down, our 24 hour line is (586) 651-4552.
