Tool Time Machinery Innovation
Powerlines in need of some vegetation management.
Though on a much smaller scale, but for similar reasons, managing growth on large-lot properties can and should be an important matter. In addition, there are personal reasons for maintaining growth control, including trying to keep your property more livable and attractive. In this regard, we had the opportunity to talk to Clint Major, the product development coordinator for Loftness, one of the nation’ s foremost producers of vegetation management equipment. Here are his thoughts on the matter.
“ There are several reasons why large property owners may need to do some vegetation management,” Major told AcreageLife.“ Oftentimes, if a person purchases a new piece of property, it may have gone unmanaged for years and has become overgrown with trees, brush and other tough, undesirable vegetation.
“ Or they may plan to build a house, shop, or other building and need to clear vegetation from the area before construction starts. A lot of people choose to do this work themselves rather than hiring it out, not only for the cost savings, but also the enjoyment of running equipment.
“ Invasive brush and tree species have also become a big problem in many places, taking over pastures and other grassy areas. It’ s [ also ] common to find shelterbelts with dead, fallen trees that haven’ t been removed over the years.”
To handle this kind of vegetation control, many large-lot owners maintain at least one piece of heavy-duty machinery like an excavator or skid steer. These machines have several specialized attachments available for them. One example is a mulching head. This is the same kind of machinery that is used by the large, professional outfits for heavy-duty vegetation management work, but on a somewhat smaller scale.
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That brings us to the exciting news about recent machinery innovations.
Major explained:“ Not all large property owners have a skid steer or excavator at their disposal. But most of them do have a utility tractor. Lately, some of the more professional drum mulchers have been adapted for these utility tractors. That way, large property owners can take advantage of this type of equipment to clean up shelterbelts, remove invasive tree species or perform other types of vegetation management jobs. Unlike brush cutters or rotary mowers that are often used by large property owners, a mulching head can not only take down trees and brush, but also mulch them down to size so the particles decompose faster and look nicer. We’ re finding that many people aren’ t aware of this attachment option for tractors, and they get excited when they discover it’ s available.”
As mentioned, not everyone has or wants heavy equipment, but even relatively small acreage owners likely have a tractor. Really, the tractor is virtually synonymous with farm life.
Since there are several variations available in tractor / attachment setups, Major recommended speaking with an equipment dealer about what would work best for you. Some important things to keep in mind are making sure that the tractor has enough PTO horsepower to run the attachment, using bite-limiting devices to ensure proper performance and choosing the right mulching teeth for your particular situation.
Vegetation management is not only desirable but, in many cases, imperative. With these recent and exciting innovations, the machinery necessary to properly handle such tasks is available to virtually every acreage owner out there.
October 2024 AcreageLife 37