Wooded or non-wooded acreage???

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sh00ter

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If you were going to buy 5-10 acres to eventually live on, how would you determine how much woods to have? I see a lot of nice "open" properties with a few nice older single trees, and then I see some about half & half, and some not cleared at all.

A buddy of mine out by Luther has 30 acres and it is about 95% thicker woods with trails through it and he cleared just enough to build the shop and the animal pens, etc, but left a lot of trees so you don't see much sky.

I found one piece of property with about the front 30% cleared and the back 70% woods with trails so the back property line was still accessible. And then I've seen some pieces with woods all the way to the road so thick you could not even walk into them.

Is there a formula for what works best for a given scenario? Lets just say 5 acres to make it simple with plenty of woods in the area even not on that property...How much of it would you want to be naturally open or cleared if necessary?No plans for cows, maybe, a few pigs or goats at most, maybe none.
 

OkieJoe72

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Don’t think there’s any kind of formula for such a question. It’s a matter of personal preference, but I would suggest putting some serious thought in how you would like to use the land. If you’re simply wanting privacy, a small acreage with a lot of trees is desirable. If you want a garden and other things to be more self sustainable, a heavily wooded property is probably not the best option. Even with 5 acres, a large amount of food can be produced. Other things to consider would be the amount of desired sunshine for the home. Heavily wooded areas can help with cooling costs in the summer, but it can also increase your heating costs in the winter. One last thing, don’t forget about all the leaves if you decide on a wooded property. Again, it’s personal preference.
 

rickm

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Its really depends on what your planning on doing with the property and how long you want to wait to get it all done. House and farmland get something with no trees, house and cattle get some with some timber but plenty of grass land, But like said you can clear the trees a whole lot faster than you can grow them.
 

Shinneryfarmer

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My personal preference is wooded, the thicker the better for privacy. I can clear what I want for house, shop and garden. If raising goats they will clean out all brush and low hanging limbs in pretty quick order. Trees removed can be used for fence post, firewood or building material. Have a cousin who built his house completely with wood milled from his place. Took three years but it was paid for when he was done and it is beautiful, vaulted ceilings, rock fireplace, oak cabinets and open floor plan.
 

OHJEEZE

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Long ago I passed on a good many cleared fields.
Always saying "I dont want a corn field!"

When the time came that I bought some acrage, it was part of a old small dairy farm, where owners quit and let the pastures grow into trees and brush.

After a some years of stewing about it, I started to make what was once pasture back into pasture.

Wish I woulda bought up all those clear fields I saw back then! Lol

It really all depends on what you want to do.

I like having both woods and pasture / fields
 

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