The pasture experiment did not begin with open farmland. It began beneath a pine forest.
From the beginning, the plan was not simply to clear land and plant grass. We intended to compare different methods of converting harvested timberland into productive pasture while evaluating cost, soil disturbance, labor, and long-term farm usability.
The original forest condition provides the baseline for everything that follows.
Conditions and Measurements
Pine timberland
Property located in Tallapoosa County, Alabama
Forest photographs dated February 2025
Satellite imagery retained as a landscape reference
Approximately 50 acres would later be harvested across the property
Observations
Substantial pine canopy
Pine needles and forest material covering much of the soil surface
Existing roots and organic material throughout the forest floor
Limited open ground suitable for pasture
Actions Taken
Could we do a select harvest and build a silvo pasture farm?
Next Step
Sell the timber and begin the harvest