In general, to clear land for a homestead you need to begin by developing a plan, removing unwanted trees and structures, and discarding of waste through proper channels.
To start clearing land, you will need a variety of tools, time, and a budget. In addition, animals like pigs, goats, and sheep may be beneficial to clearing land for a homestead.
General Steps to Clearing Land
- Remove any unwanted structures such as buildings, sheds, coops, barns, fences, etc. if necessary
- Cut down unnecessary trees that you do not want to keep
- Remove large rocks
- Dig up tree stumps
- Clear any brush or weeds
- Level the land
- Plow the soil
Develop A Plan to Clear Land
Assess land
When beginning to develop a plan to clear off your land, consider what you are planning to use the land for. A garden, pasture, animal keeping, or building a home are a few options.
Garden and pasture for a homestead involves a treeless area where grass and other edible plants can thrive. Animal keeping may require minimal land clearing as long as there is food for the animal. If building a home on a homestead, consider if the land needs to be leveled or any erosion that may occur to the land to prepare it for building.
What are you using the land for?
- Building a home or structure
- Creating a garden
- Livestock enclosure
- Water Source or Well
Is there anything I want to keep?
After assessing your land, decide if there are any trees or landmarks you wish to keep. Some examples of items you may wish to keep are large century year old trees, fruit trees, flowering trees, large decorative rocks, flowering shrubs, or privacy shrubs.
Budget
Budgeting to clear land for a homestead can range from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars depending on labor, tools, and the size of the land. When clearing land, you have the option to use a contracting service, or clear the space yourself. There are pros and cons to both options.
How Much Does It Cost to Clear Land?
Experts report that the average cost of clearing land for construction is around $2,500. However, there are several factors that may increase or decrease the price.
If the land is heavily forested, the price will be higher to remove the trees and wood areas, but, if the land is lightly forested, the price will be lower. In addition, some wood may be sold to help outweigh the cost of the clearing.
Other factors that influence cost are using a contractor versus removing the trees yourself. When using a contractor, the price will be more expensive due to labor, but using a contractor will save time. If clearing the land, yourself, the cost relies on the tools you already own and the ones that need to be purchased. The average price of a chainsaw can range from $200 to $350. However, time can be a large determining factor when considering cost.
How much Space do I need?
For a homestead, space can be defined as a ¼ acre, to 20 acres. Your space is based on how much land you or your family needs. When clearing land in a residential area, removing large trees may cause damage to neighboring properties, but in a more rural area, these trees will be easier to remove.
For instance, clearing a small space works well for someone trying to clear land themselves. For a larger space, hiring a contractor to help excavate the area is beneficial.
Contractor or Do It Yourself
Using a contractor to clear land for a homestead will be beneficial due to their experience with excavation. As professionals, they can help plan the property area to your liking and will save on time and energy.
Clearing land, yourself will take time and may be cheaper than using a contractor. By doing it yourself you can be more specific with what you want, and may prevent unwanted damage from bulldozers, large equipment or waste from workers. To clear land for a homestead, you will need some skill and strength to move the limbs and branches.
What Tools Do You Need to Clear Land?
- Chainsaw
- Brush cutter
- Pole saw
- Mulcher or Chipper
- Tiller
- Land excavator
- Bobcat or Tractor
- Wheelbarrow
- Hand saw
Can I use animals to clear land for a homestead?
Animals are a great resource to clear land for a homestead. Pigs do well at removing small stumps and roots, sheep and goats excel at killing shrubs and small trees, even cattle will help with brush management of certain weeds and grasses.
Using an animal is also a natural way to replenish the nitrogen in the soil. Their feces act as natural fertilizer in most cases.
One thing to consider if using animals to clear land for a homestead is they may damage trees and shrubs you wish to keep. For these items, wrap chicken wire or creat a strong protective barrier around the trunks and small branches.
Soil Quality
Before clearing land for a homestead, consider the quality of your soil. By testing your soil using a DIY soil test from the Almanac, you will be able to see if your area is beneficial for planting or needs to be amended.
Here is the link to the soil tests from the Almanac: https://www.almanac.com/content/3-simple-diy-soil-tests
Soil amendments include compost, manure, dried leaves, earthworm castings, and several other forms of organic matter. By completing a soil test prior to excavating, you are able to determine if the land you want cleared will succeed for gardening or may be better suited for livestock raising.
Calling 811
Whether you are contracting out, or diffing on your own land yourself, always call 811 before you dig. 811 is an informational line that provides details on utility lines that may be buried on your property. They quote “know what is below, call before you dig.” If you start digging and break a utility line, you may be liable for damages and costs related to the break. Some utility lines that may be in the ground include gas lines, power lines, waterlines, sewer lines, and more. Visit https://call811.com or give them a call for more information.
Do I need a Permit to Clear Land for a Homestead?
A permit is not required to clear a small area for a homestead. However, if building a structure, or clearing large trees or areas, a permit may be required. Speak with your local authorities for proper building and excavating codes. A city hall or building inspector can provide you with the proper regulations.
What do I do with the Waste?
When clearing land, you develop a lot of yard waste or tree build up. There are services that can take these items off your hands, like a trash pickup or yard waste pickup. Other forms of getting rid of the brush, is renting a dumpster, or hiring a junk removal.
For more natural ways to remove the dead limbs, recycle your yard waste by composting or mulching. In addition, some areas it is legal to burn your waste. Be aware that a burn ban, or specific area of your county may not allow burning.
When is the best time to clear land?
Winter is the idea time for land clearing and excavation due to the plants going into dormancy. However, early autumn, or early spring can also be good times to remove trees and underbrush. Clearing land during the growing months of spring and autumn will be more difficult due to constantly fighting the new growth of plants.
Are there any environmental impacts?
When deciding to clear land for a homestead, consider the environmental impacts of water drainage, erosion, and wind. Removing too many trees in an area that gets a lot of water, will cause issues with run-off water, or water washing out the soil. Tree roots provide integrity to the soil and help prevent erosion. Trees also help with blocking strong winds and provide shade.
In addition, wooded areas are often home to dozens of animals and creatures. Providing those creatures with new homes or leaving some of your wild space wild for them to survive may be beneficial.
What is the Boonstead doing to clear the land for a Homestead?
If you want to watch us, we are clearing our land ourselves for a garden on our property. You can view the first video in our segment here on YouTube!
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