How big are the thorn trees on how many acres ?

Best bet is to pull them out roots and all if not too large. Be careful handling that you don't spread thorns all over the place dragging them off to another location for disposal or burning.

Dad had several patches in CRP. When he passed, 25 years ago today, I pulled them out of CRP.

2 were put back into no till crop production fall burndown, burned down again in spring, notilled to beans first year

The others are still in continual grass and a bit of legumes. Soil & Water argued with me that I was undoing all my Dads conservation work I replied I would have gladly left it in had you not changed the rules from yearly mowing, to only 1/2 per year could be mowed, to only patches could be mowed, to needing approval to mow anything. Turned into one giant mess of thistles and weeds with trees and sticker bushes starting to take over. I pulled it out and for several years mowed it all 5 or 6 times per summer. Grass has re-established itself, thistles have been crowded out and the trees and sticker bushes are gone. Still has not been disturbed since planted in 1986 so I did not undo anything.

In my opinion only these CRP/Pheasant programs are largely just weed plots and need better management policies but some office worker gets to decide what is best. In pre chemical days grasses and hay and frequent cuttings were the way to crowd out weeds and undesirable plants.

Now the biggest spend "here" is on waterways everywhere. They won't cost share getting county mains updated so people can actually pattern tile and reduce runoff and erosion.  They spend huge amounts putting in waterways while county tiles are neglected and full of suck holes.

Any main work has to be born by the individual unless you go the petition route which usually doubles the cost and ticks off everyone around you.

I'm going it alone replacing all my mains and pattern tiling as funds allow without borrowing money. It's a slow process but it's drastically improving the ground and addressing water issues. 

Few pics of the recently mowed former CRP area also classified as HEL.

My thoughts from "here" your mileage may vary.

(20250911_110416(0) (Medium) (full).jpg)

(20250911_110709(0) (Medium) (full).jpg)

(20250911_110927 (Medium) (full).jpg)

(20250911_111034(2) (Medium) (full).jpg)

(20250911_111152(0) (Medium) (full).jpg)

(20250911_111241(2) (Medium) (full).jpg)

(20250911_111340(1) (Medium) (full).jpg)

(20250911_111516 (Medium) (full).jpg)

(20250911_110413(0) (Medium) (full).jpg)

20250911_110416(0) (Medium) (full).jpg (231KB - 5 downloads)

20250911_110709(0) (Medium) (full).jpg (141KB - 5 downloads)

20250911_110927 (Medium) (full).jpg (130KB - 4 downloads)

20250911_111034(2) (Medium) (full).jpg (151KB - 5 downloads)

20250911_111152(0) (Medium) (full).jpg (179KB - 5 downloads)

20250911_111241(2) (Medium) (full).jpg (176KB - 5 downloads)

20250911_111340(1) (Medium) (full).jpg (154KB - 5 downloads)

20250911_111516 (Medium) (full).jpg (163KB - 5 downloads)

20250911_110413(0) (Medium) (full).jpg (175KB - 5 downloads)