Stump Removal Video
"This is crazy." Have you said that when trying to remove a tree stump with a shovel. Some roots can be larger than your leg. Stump removal is a huge job and a shovel may not be the proper tool. Get some heavy equipment to remove the stumps and get them out of the way.
If you have many large tree stumps that you need to remove quickly, one option is to rent medium sized excavating equipment. A skid steer loader and a track excavator back-hoe. If just two people, you can make quick work of large stumps.
The equipment controls might appear confusing at first. But with some instructions and practice, it is easy to get the hang of the equipment.
An effective stump removal method is to use the excavator back-hoe to dig around the sides of the stumps, until they can be popped out of the ground. Then place the stump in the bucket of the skid loader. The loader can move the stumps to the staging area, where the stumps can be trucked off or left to decompose.
With the right equipment and technique, you can remove a lot of stumps in a short period of time. When a shovel can't clear the field, go for the rental equipment.