Coin rotation in plowed fields

[ezra]

Does anybody have any thoughts about what happens to the locations of coins in the ground when the farmers chisel plow or disc the fields? I know the chisel plowing can vary in depth and the discing in more of a constant depth. My opinion is that the when these farm operations are done I think some objects are brought closer to the surface and some items are buried deeper down to the clay level beneath the topsoil level. Any thoughts or opinions are welcomed . Thanks Ezra.

 

[Steve O]

That's what happens ezra. Ploughing turns over the soil, brings up the nutrients from under and also turns over the weeds.....coins and relics too.

 

[michaelosully]

Hey ezra, think you 'coined' a new term???..."coin rotation" . Sorta like the term 'crop rotation'!

Had never occurred to me that coins might rise after plowing a field. I do know that at the diamond park in Arkansas they plow over the area to expose more stones to the surface. Hopefully the soil engineers will enlighten us on this.

 

[Jason in Enid]

The chisels and discs don't turn over the ground, they only break it open to allow moisture and fertilizers down and reduce wind errosion on the surface. I could see larger relics being pulled up by the chisels or broken by the discs, but they wouldn't be turned over. Farm fields rarely get plowed in the way people think of plows.

 

[fowlercharles]

Hi Ezra, It would be more likely that the Disc or Chisel would not cut so deep and likely not even reach near the clay line, but for sure even the old timers with a horse and plow did in some instances reach the clay line and even below in some locals and some situations. I have seen plowmarks clearly shown in some Archaeology digs(units) that were into and below the clayline where the average topsoil cover was 8". Two summers ago I dug an overall button and a childs button sized shoebuckle from about 2" below the clayline in such an area. I remember as a child packing water and walking the plowed rows, as Grandpa plowed with a horse. You would be surprised how deep the oldtimers cut the soil. Another thing I have seen is ground plowed for tree planting, by plow(s) pulled by Bulldozier.. Deep and wide would only begin to describe those furrows.Any coin or whatever when being brought up or down , that manages to get into the groove, will likely not be detected for a long time, if ever, until maybe the next time a deep plow comes by, That's not likely..Don't despair though. I sure don't because I have dug Andrew Jackson (1815) troop buttons from a campsite field that was under the plow for over 80 years.. It still paid off in probably 20 buttons for several of us willing to work it.HH, Charlie

 

[bootyhoundpa]

any movement of the soil is good whether plowing,discing or just frost heave....unfortunately they are not tilling as deep as they did in the good old days....not only that but now when going from last years crop of soybean to this years crop of corn alot of farmers are using the no till method and just seeding corn seed right into untilled soil.....even so any action on the soil has the potential to unmask a coin by moving it away from iron ,nails etc..... i hunt a place or two where the topsoil is over a foot deep and when conditions are right i have been able to find coins that were right at the top of the clay layer.....when they get that deep it seems as if there is no action be it by man or nature that is likely to bring the coin closer to the surface....

 

[ezra]

I talked to my neighbor a little bit about farming (he is a farmer) and in a nutshell the reason for tilling on discing is to breakup weeds/put the previous years crop back into the ground for fertilzation/ prevent the soil from compacting and when the soil compacts this is less drainage in the field. A lot of farmers do no till but at a certain point that have to . When they perform either operation the idea is to stay in the topsoil level for that area. I guess the point I am trying to make a point that some years there might be more goodies within the range of the detectors and the next time when they flip it there will be not as much to find because it was flipped down to the clay layer and put out of range. Some farms I hunt year after year , then some years the fields are corn and that beats the heck out of your shoulders and muscles beating off the corn stubble so I try to do fields that are soybean fields so that you can swing the detector. this means the year I do not hunt it in corn stubble it makes me wonder how many goodies did I miss out on.It also raises the question as to how much is lost and out of range for good. I read somewhere that some people have theories on coin sink rates in untouched land and I was just wondering if any body had any theories on the farm fields . I appreciate everyones ideas and thoughts on this and thanks to the people who have offered there input. Ezra.

 

[Steve O]

The soybean fields are no dream to detect either. When they harvest them they leave 4"s of the plant base and it's stiff.

Yes, the plough does turn over the soil, watch this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtfbzH1cue0

 

[Bowie]

Absolutely, at least down here where I live. The soil is turned over. Now days, after crops are havested, the fields are disced so the plants can decay, improving the soil.
If you have ever seen the size of a disc being used, you will get an idea how deep it cuts. Im no farmer but been around it all my life, many relatives and friends farm, on a very large scale.
Coin rotation, lol, I like that. Toward the end of summer, I start getting antsy, waiting for those guys to get their crops out in the Fall and discing the fields.
HH,
John

 

[ezra]

Steve O , nice video. I guess the best maybe we can hope for is to keep hitting these fields every year and hopefully keep picking up goodies. i really hate the corn stubble that I am at the point i will only hunt the soybean stubble and wait for the following year to hit the field they had in corn , I am hunting a farm for almost four years and amazed going over the same site that every year theres more goodies ,but will always wonder what was lost to the clay layer. I think it is really Coin Rotaion,Ezra.

 

[Woodchuck]

Bulldozer for planting trees? thats new to me!.When i worked on a tree nursery.To get the weeds where tractor couldn't fit between rows. Use to break out the ole pull behind plow and hitch it to the horse. And use a vermeer tree spade to pop holes to plant or dig some trees depending on size.Of all the years i use to work on Tree nursery ,never found anything good in all that dirt I use to dig except rocks LOL

 

[fowlercharles]

Hi Woodchuck, Here in my area timber has been grown and harvested on thousands of acres ever since the last of the original old growth was all about cut by the end of the 1930's,I don't know the whyfores etc of why a Bulldozier is used but it really makes sense when you think about it. Especially when needing to break up land never planted before or that has lain dormant for a long time. I saw a Dozier used in what were once open fields, and probably not in timber since old growth grew there. One particular time I "tried" to hunt behind where a dozier had plowed an old timber town where all the rail equipment was brought to the machine shop for repair.It was of course grown over in saplings and briars before the plows, and I knew where every street, house, school and you name it had been, but after the plowing took place I hung it up. Haven't been back,Of course I think about it but It is now gated and controlled by Land Management and a hunting club.Lol, that is another sad subject HH, Charlie

 

[Bowie]

Ive got a favorite spot, just across the bayou from me, been in the folks family before the Civil War. I didnt get to hunt it this fall after they picked the cotton, its in winter wheat now, so gotta wait till the end of May. Will have just a short window then before they plant it in cotton or soybeans again. I dont ever find much, but I do love to hunt those fields where old places once stood.
Never have had an opputunity to hunt spots in the woods. Down here in Louisiana, where I live;back after World War 2 they pushed most all hardwood over, ran many miles of ditches and canals to drain the land for farmland.
Over in the hills, like you guys, pine plantations. Clear cut,replant, repeat.
HH,
John

 

[baldy804]

ive never had much luck with this type of hunting perhaps because i live in wyoming where there hasnt been alot of people for very long but it would make sence that oldhomesteads and such could be unearthed with valubles around by a plow it could possible make the coins go deeper aswell good luck