Farmhouse bottle dump

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Walker1200

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Question for folks who've dug in farmhouse dumps before. I have permission to dig in a few areas that are trash dumps for an old mid-1800s property. So far, the bottles near the surface have mostly been screw tops...and I would guess nothing earlier than 30s or 40s. I'm wondering if the newer bottles are on top and the older bottles are deeper. I realize there is no way to tell unless I probe and dig, but I guess I'm wondering if its a common thing (in others' experience) to have a gradient of bottles...with the newest at the surface...as opposed to the older ones being in a totally different dump site?

Thanks in advance!

-Kerry
 

hemihampton

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Could be older ones farther down, only way to find out is try digging deeper. Some 1930's & 40's bottles can be collectible like Milk Bottles & ACL Soda Bottles. Let me know if any old rusty Beer Cans in there. I collect those. Good Luck. LEON.
 

Walker1200

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Hey Leon,

Thanks again for the info. Ill keep my eye out for old beer cans when I'm digging.

-Kerry
 

Walker1200

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Yeah there is glass at the surface. Mostly screw tops, but some newer corks too.

-Kerry
 

PlaneDiggerCam

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I dig farm dumps frequently and what I have found is that sometimes farms have different dumps depending on different ages. One may be used between 1890 and 1920 while another somewhere else may be used between 1930 and 1950. However there are also cases where the dump was always the go to area for the farms existence and then the old stuff will be buried deep beneath the newer. It is also common to find older bottles in newer age farm dumps since when they cleaned out the barn they may have thrown away old bottles that were sitting around.
 

Walker1200

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Cork tops are generally older than screw top bottles.
ROBBYBOBBY64.

Ahh yes. I dont think that came out quite like I thought it would. I just meant that the cork bottles I found had the seam all the way up the lip, so they weren't that old compared to other corks. Sorry for my confusion. =)

-Kerry
 

willong

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Yeah there is glass at the surface. Mostly screw tops, but some newer corks too.

-Kerry
That would be enough to hold my interest in the property. That you know it dates into mid-nineteenth century should keep you motivated to find older dump areas.

If you have a machine available, metal detect to find hidden concentrations in low and/or marshy spots, tangled briars, stump piles and etc. Any waste ground or an out-of-the-way areas that the original farmers would have found convenient and a logical place to dispose of trash.
 

Bohdan

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Question for folks who've dug in farmhouse dumps before. I have permission to dig in a few areas that are trash dumps for an old mid-1800s property. So far, the bottles near the surface have mostly been screw tops...and I would guess nothing earlier than 30s or 40s. I'm wondering if the newer bottles are on top and the older bottles are deeper. I realize there is no way to tell unless I probe and dig, but I guess I'm wondering if its a common thing (in others' experience) to have a gradient of bottles...with the newest at the surface...as opposed to the older ones being in a totally different dump site?

Thanks in advance!

-Kerry

Be careful digging farm dumps.
I was once warned by farm owner that the dump at his family farm, although old and containing a lot of good bottles, also contained lots of poisonous agricultural chemicals from the late 40s and 50s.
Just be aware.
 

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