Men of Consequence: Clearing The Land Edition

Men of Consequence usually refers to some of our favorite movie stars, but what about the hard-working men who are constantly in an arm’s race with Mother Nature? Last year, I wrote an article about trees, one of Mother Nature’s most useful and glorious creations. Trees are an essential resource on this planet. They provide shade, shelter, wood for construction and oxygen-enriched air to breathe. But, what about other, less glamorous plants that compete for the same resources and can be a nuisance and impediment to progress, or just a nice view of the countryside?

Let me state again that Nature, like evolution, has no goals, no agenda, and no malevolent intent. Nature simply obeys the laws of physics and natural selection. The plants and animals that can survive and “earn a living” in nature, are the ones that will flourish in nature, at the expense of other plants and animals, including humans. 

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Our ancestors made the transition from hunting/gathering to agriculture and the domestication of animals around 10,000 years ago. Clearing land for agriculture has always been tedious, time-consuming and back-breaking work. Until recently, there was little or no concern for the environmental impact of the “slash and burn” methods of making land suitable for agriculture, grazing and human habitation. The breakthrough came with mechanization, beginning in the early 20th Century. With increased technology and progress came Federal legislation in the 1970’s to address forest management and the environmental impacts of the clearing of land. 

O.K., so much for the history and science lesson, but what about regular people with homes, land or estates that fight a losing battle with the encroaching weeds, vines and invasive and noxious weeds? Aggressive growth that turns lawns into meadows, then thickets, and then virtual jungles? Whether it be years of neglect, constraints of time, or lack of the proper tools and implements to handle the jungle, what can be done?

Men of Consequence are out there to help. Let me introduce you to William Swingle of Third Hand Earthworks, and let him introduce you to his little friend., a Kubota kx040-4 with a Indeco IMH4 mulcher. This small-footprint, but devastating machine would make the Alien fall in love, and can deal with the unwanted growth that is shrinking your yard and spoiling your view of the lake that you haven’t seen in years. Here is how William describes the function and versatility of this amazing machine

“The machine is an ideal platform for this work at this scale. It is outfitted with the optional 6-way blade which allows me to fine-tune balance of the machine on even terrain, a crucial feature for Forestry mulching. The machine is also outfitted with a second auxiliary hydraulic line which enables the mulcher and the thumb to be used at the same time, also crucial for this work.

I take a lot of challenging terrain jobs because this machine is one of the only ways to do that work. It does remarkably well on steep slopes and given that the mulcher is on the end of an excavator arm I can reach down and up into places that other machines couldn’t access.“

Clearing land, even on a smaller scale is precise and dangerous work that is better left to professionals. You never know what you will encounter in the brush, other than the danger of dealing with large trees. There are noxious weeds, poison ivy, endless tangles of vines, sink-holes, fence posts, tree cables, large, hidden rocks, and even the occasional dead body. A machine like the Kubota with mulcher costs over $100,000 new, plus maintenance, parts, fuel, insurance, etc. You can hire a pro, or try to tackle the forest yourself, but that is not recommended, as you might end up like this guy.

Darwin Award Winner

You can view more videos at William’s YouTube Channel on Instagram, or at his Website.