Some falls are for harvesting. This one was for transforming twenty acres of dense forest into open pasture, and preparing for the herd arriving in April.
There's something both humbling and exhilarating about standing at the edge of dense woodland and knowing that in a few months, it'll be open pasture. This fall, we took on our biggest project yet: clearing twenty acres of forest to make room for cattle and bison arriving in the spring.
The Decision
We've been planning this expansion for two years. The land was always there, twenty acres of mixed hardwood on the north end of the property, beautiful in its own right but not serving the farm's future. When we finally committed to bringing in livestock, we knew the time had come.
The Process
Clearing land the right way takes time. We're not developers, we're farmers. That means selective clearing, not scorched earth. We kept the mature oaks along the property line for windbreak. We left clusters of trees for shade. The rest came down with chainsaws, sweat, and more hours than I want to count.
What's Coming
Come April, this cleared land will welcome its first residents. Bison aren't cattle. They're wilder, more independent, and demand respect. But there's something about them that feels right for this land.
The Bryant Creek Family
