June 1, 2025
Deciding to Harvest the Timber
One of the first major decisions after acquiring the property was what to do with the existing timber. The property was about half planted pine timberland, but our long-term plans called for converting a significant portion of it into usable farm and pasture ground. Harvesting the timber offered an opportunity to recover some of the value already standing on the property while beginning that transformation.
We obtained two separate independent appraisals for the timber. Another consideration was that the pine timber was fully mature at 40 years old and if it was not harvested it would eventually begin to collapse on its own.
When we purchased the approximately 97-acre property, all of it was still timberland, evenly split between planted pines sections and hardwood sections.
We knew from the beginning that we wanted to change the way a significant portion of the property was being used. Our plans included pasture, farm operations, improved access and other uses that would require opening up areas that were then heavily timbered.
That made the timber an asset, but also something standing in the way of the property's next use.
The first question was therefore not simply, "Should we cut the trees?" It was whether harvesting the timber made economic and practical sense as the first step in transforming the property.
There were also reasons not to clear everything indiscriminately. We wanted to preserve selected mature hardwoods and other trees that contributed to the character of the property. At the same time, some mature trees near the county-road right-of-way were candidates for removal because future fencing would make dealing with dangerous or fallen trees more difficult.
Another important consideration was what the logging operation would leave behind. Selling the timber would remove the merchantable trees, but it would not create finished pasture. Stumps, tops, limbs and other woody material would remain, and additional work would be required before much of the harvested acreage could become usable farm ground.
At this stage, we did not yet know what that entire conversion process would cost. That became an important part of what we would eventually learn from the project.
The decision was made to investigate harvesting the timber, determine what it was actually worth, and see whether the economics justified moving forward.
Observations
• The existing timber had real economic value and should be treated as an asset rather than simply cleared away. However, the pines, planted over 40 years ago needed to be harvested or they would begin to fall on their own.
• Our long-term plans for the property required opening significant acreage regardless.
• Harvesting timber and creating usable pasture are two different activities. The timber harvest would only be the first step.
• Selected hardwoods and aesthetically or environmentally valuable trees did not necessarily need to be sacrificed just because other areas were being harvested.
• Decisions made during the timber harvest could affect later fencing, roads, pasture development and maintenance.
• We did not yet have enough information to know the true value of the timber or the full cost of converting the harvested land afterward.
Actions Taken
We decided to explore a commercial timber harvest rather than simply paying to remove the trees.
The next step was to understand what timber we actually had, obtain proposals from potential timber buyers, and get an independent appraisal so that we could evaluate the offers against something other than our own assumptions.
Next Step
Understanding the Timber, Getting Proposals & Independent Appraisal