Should I leave the pine stumps or pull them out?

I recently bought some land and am planning a forest garden. First, though, the large pine trees need to be removed (it was a pasture about 30 years ago...). Should I have the stumps just cut to the ground and plant around them, allowing them to slowly compost in place, or have the stumps removed?
Thanks for the Q and A, Mr. Sobkowiak!
Terri in NC

You have 6 week to inoculate them with mushroom plugs. With any luck you can start harvesting next year and for the next 6 years.

Which mushrooms grow in pine? I thought shiitake only grow in hardwood (and specific ones at that); I would love to have the mushrooms!

Terri Simmons wrote:I recently bought some land and am planning a forest garden. First, though, the large pine trees need to be removed (it was a pasture about 30 years ago...). Should I have the stumps just cut to the ground and plant around them, allowing them to slowly compost in place, or have the stumps removed?
Thanks for the Q and A, Mr. Sobkowiak!
Terri in NC

Terri don't make work for yourself. There is enough to do as is. Based on your question there are STILL pines standing. If pines plant blueberries!!
If you will remove the trees leave the stumps, cut to the ground so you don't trip over them.

The entire 2-acre lot is wooded; the pines are about 70-80' tall and shade the south-east corner. The other sides slope significantly and have more of a hardwood forest, which I had planned to leave intact except for a few shrubs here and there. I was thinking about growing several fruit trees in addition to berries where the pines are now; what else could grow underneath them?

Terri Simmons wrote:The entire 2-acre lot is wooded; the pines are about 70-80' tall and shade the south-east corner. The other sides slope significantly and have more of a hardwood forest, which I had planned to leave intact except for a few shrubs here and there. I was thinking about growing several fruit trees in addition to berries where the pines are now; what else could grow underneath them?

Terri save yourself a lot of work changing the soil conditions for fruit trees from pines. Plant your fruit trees on the slope where the hardwoods are. It's closer to the conditions the fruit trees like. You only need to go the trees a few times a year anyway.
Any other suggestions other than blueberries under pines???

Stefan Sobkowiak wrote:
Any other suggestions other than blueberries under pines???

Muscadines and scuppernongs seem to effortlessly climb through the pine woods around here.

yes, the muscadines are everywhere amongst the pines...

so much to learn; I suppose I will have to get Morris' book finally, and that new orchard movie I'd heard about, too.
Thanks much, you've given me something to think about.
Terri