Field and Pasture Restoration

Field and pasture restoration is not only our most popular service, it is one of our most enjoyable to provide. We live and work on a 300 plus acre farm and are fully aware of the difficulties associated with restoring rural land. It has been commonplace in the past to simply scrape unwanted trees and vegetation into piles with a bulldozer or backhoe and burn them. Although there are isolated instances where we recommend and/or employ this strategy we find the majority of our customers are better served in every regard, including cost, by mulching technology.

Forestry Mulching for Field and Pasture Restoration

Often we can mulch in a single day the same amount of biomass other equipment merely windrows or piles. With forestry mulching no hauling or noxious burning is required.  The land is not stripped or compacted and no erosion control, other than the mulch, is necessary. We can also work in inclement weather because we are not breaking the sod, and are adding tractable footing as we go.

Improved Soil Fertility with Forestry Mulching

The imminent goal of any field or pasture restoration is soil fertility. It goes without saying that a biomass recovery procedure such as mulching will have a much more beneficial impact on fertility than a biomass removal technology (i.e. a track hoe or a bulldozer). We believe, along with successful farmers, like author Joel Salatin, that any organic matter you put on your soils is ultimately beneficial. We have even found that soils layered with mulch from characteristically acid (low pH) material like pines and cedars self-correct through decomposition and eventually demonstrate far better fertility than pasture cleared with conventional means.

Topsoil is a Valuable Commodity in the Southeast

Topsoil is, after all, the earth’s skin. And due to its role in carbon sequestration it is an essential component in battling climate change. Unfortunately it is an especially rare and valuable commodity in the Southeast. Generations of tobacco and corn row-cropping and indiscriminate grazing have so denuded the regions topsoil that it goes without saying that our field and pasture restoration projects always focus on improving soil fertility and tilth. In addition to being strong proponents of mulching technology for field and pasture restoration we are experimenting natural fertilizers such as Neptune Organic's fish hydrosalate as a means to speed up the decomposition of the mulch layer.  If you would like to discuss your field and pasture restoration goals or visit completed projects, call or email. We would love to assist you.