Written by Haylee Archambault, NOFIA summer student, on behalf of the Northeastern Regional Communications Coordinator
Beef Farmers of Temiskaming checking out the land conversion progress at Charlton Angus Cattle Company.
On August 9th, 2022, Beef Farmers of Temiskaming held an event at Charlton Angus Cattle Company, the farm of Paul Dejong, to talk about land conversion methods. Dr. Amanda Diochon from Lakehead University joined to talk about her research exploring methods to get recently converted land into production efficiently. Her research builds on an OSCIA Tier Two research project done several years ago with the Temiskaming and Cochrane Soil & Crop Improvement Associations and the Northern Ontario Farm Innovation Alliance, comparing different methods of land conversion and their impact on soil health.
There are a few different methods of land conversion. Conventional land conversion involves shearing the brush, piling it and then discard the biomass. Mulching involves chipping the brush and leaving the residue either on top of the land or incorporated into the soil. Paul has trialed many different methods as he converts land on his farm in the north part of Temiskaming District into agricultural production. Here are some lessons learned.
Firstly, timing is something to consider. Paul said that ideally, in the summer you would use a high-hoe and root rake to convert land. When the roots and stumps are dry, they can be easily pushed in a pile for removal. Since summer is a busy time of year for most producers, it’s more likely that the land conversion window is in the winter months. However, the winter season limits the use of a high-hoe and root rake. Instead, a bulldozer is used to shear the vegetation and push it into piles. The following summer, a disc can be used to break up the roots in the cleared area. Discing the roots can leave a lot of wood biomass in the topsoil, which can slow down the productivity of future crop or pastureland as it will take the soil microbes a long time to decompose this material.
When Paul first started out, he was told by other producers in the industry to push his piles into nearby ditches, gullies or ravines to save time and put the land into production faster. Paul strongly suggests those interested in eventually tiling the land not use this method, as this approach will create difficulties when trying to create tile run outlets and manage water.
Windrowed brush in a field being converted to agricultural production.
“At the end of the day, you’ll be doubling your workload and from my experience, the piles are much easier to push into the ditch then to fetch them out”, says Paul.
Conventionally, the simplest method of eliminating piles is to burn them at appropriate times. Higher brush piles burn hotter and longer, meaning that there will be less wood biomass left when it burns out. Piles are also safer to burn than windrows because the flames are contained to a certain area instead of a long length of field. If the pile were to get out of control, it would be easier to fight than the long windrow. It is also more difficult to get a permit for burning a windrow compared to a pile. Once a permit is obtained, responsible burning is key to ensure all parties (neighbours, general community, etc.) are kept happy.
One of the biggest challenges that comes with burning piles is the contents and how they are piled. Large stumps and the method of piling can lead to a lot of soil mixed into the pile, creating difficulties when burning. Using a root rake when making the piles ensures less soil is incorporated, compared to bulldozing the pile.
Once a pile is no longer burnable, it can be challenging to determine what to do with the remaining debris. One option is to remove the debris from the area completely, however it is really only feasible to do this in the summer months, so timing is a limiting factor. A second option is to push the debris to the sides of the field where they can be left to decompose naturally. This process can take 8-10 years. Then again, sometimes the easiest option is to leave the debris where it is and work around it.
Paul has also tried some different mulching methods, but has ultimately found these to be more tedious and less efficient than conventional land conversion based on his goals for his operation. Overall, when deciding which method to use for land conversion, it will depend significantly on what works best for your operation and timeline goals for getting land into production.
A land clearing guide was put together by the Northern Ontario Farm Innovation Alliance outlining different methods of land conversion. This is a great resource to help you decide which method makes the most sense on your operation. Find the guide here: Land Clearing Guide
Different methods of land conversion – mulched land in the foreground, conventionally cleared land in the middle, windrows in the distance.