To Dig or Not to Dig

[westwing357]

Hello all. I love coming on here and reading everybody post. My turn to ask the dumb QUESTION. I just last got permission to hunt this old farm site here in Western Mass. It's over 100 acres and has four or five old foundations sites. The farm dates back to 1750's, the first site I started hunting is an old house foundation from the late 1700's to early 1800's now in the woods. The laid up stones walls measure 11' x 19' and are about 3' high. Part of the walls have fallen in and there are about 5 trees (a couple 10" in dia.) growing out of the hole. I found an 1909 wheatie about 3' in front of the hole. Today I started digging the shallow end where I had a few big hits and recovered an old milk can (empty, boo hoo). I also pulled out an old iron. So here's my QUESTION Should I keep digging hoping for that lost treasure or just pass this site by. If i keep digging the shallow end should go down at least another 24-30 inch's to be proper depth. The deep end might need to go down another 12-18 inch's. Now the owners don't care how deep I dig just as long as I remove all trash I find. The big issues are the tree roots and one large bolder. I'll try to add some pic's for you to look over, I value any and all comments. Thanks in advance and keep swinging. Jack

 

[Elton]

n/t

 

[digginLa]

You got my vote for keep on digging, never know what you'll find in the area's that are clear enough for you to dig in. Jimmie

 

[XT18000]

First of all yes you should keep digging there as long as you are welcome,but change your frame of mind!
You have a chance to go back in time in a place that few others have or had. Start a journal of your hunts
there and of what you find, don't throw away anything you find just yet, that JUNK has a story to tell if you
will just stop, look, and listen to it. Find out all you can about the place and who lived there over the years
if you can. Try to get the land owners involved with that part of it if you can, if not, do it on your own.
You may spend years at this site but you may never get the opportunity to hunt a site like this again in your
whole life! Have you ever read the Foxfire books? If not go to a good book store and read one and see if you can
get some ideas from what is really between it's covers, try to read vol. 1 if you can. And be sure to clean off any
of the "JUNK" you find and take photo's of it then find some place to store it until you are finished with this site.
Look the whole site over and try to come up with a plan as to how to hunt it the best way and don't skip around
and miss area's. Lay it out on paper ( that's what a journal is for ), draw maps large and small, make sketch's
in the journal as well. Anyone can turn on a detector and find coins in a yard or park, you are in a position to
hunt HISTORY, don't blow it! Oh and don't forget you might get your self in to one of the magazines that use
that sort of story. Good Luck and Good Hunting

 

[w6pea]

I have to agree with what XT18000 had to say. Dig and Dig Deep ! You might find the Lost Ark !

 

[slingshot]

I won the lottery-should I collect the money? Come on now-you're very fortunate to have this opportunity.

 

[BarberBill]

The only way you'll really know is to hunt it all to see what does or does not come out of the area.
BB

 

[downeaster]

If you don't want to dig this site, tell me where it is and I'LL dig it!!

 

[Geo Unit]

Go for it. Take your time and enjoy yourself. Remember that "lost treasure" is all over that old farm.

 

[TheOtherLeggoHead]

Foolish.

Camp on that site if you have to. There is some stuff there. You'll have to find it though.

 

[hershey1]

Hunt it. Ask the owners if they have any old pictures that might help you with how the buildings were laid out. Well used paths, outhouse locations. Is there a spring close by. Garden spots. Talk to the owners, their stories that may not mean nothing to them could help you tremendously. Like the other people said, anything of interest you find show the owners it may bring back memories that can help you with your search. If you have plenty of time to hunt there take your time. If your coil don't cross it you won't find it. Good luck and keep us posted. HH