Clearing Pasture Land

I've got 16 acres in Eastern North Carolina a few miles from the coast. Most of it is covered with small pines (less than 20 yrs old) and thick with mostly bayberry. I've bushhogged a couple acres and have started removing trees.

Once it was bushhogged I ran the tiller over it several times and chopped most of the small stuff left from the bushhogging. That also took out most of the roots of the bayberry. (They have shallow roots.) Problem is now the field is thick with chopped up roots. Trying to level it (bunch of old trenches in it) with the box blade just drags up dirt and root together.

I'd like to eventually turn it into pasture land with grass on it. What's the best way to approach it with all the branch and root chunks sticking out everywhere?

Try a Rachet Rake

Attachment 2730I am not sure what a Rachet Rake is, but I use this to clear roots, rocks and saplings in NorthEast PA, our primary crop here is rocks. It can sit below soil level about 6-7 inches and "skim" leaving the soil but taking debris

That's a mighty nice grapple you have on that Rock rake. To grab the roots and smaller branches you might want to look at a Landscape Rake. I have one that I use for the exact same purpose...

Attachment 2731

This is just a quick picture of a rather cheap one. They also makes models that angle/swivel so you can 'rake' the debris into a row - easier to collect with a FEL.