Creek Digging?

[Alek77]

ok why would there be apple trees near dumps?

 

[RedGinger]

Because people lived there and had homes with apple trees. It's just one of those signs of civilization.

 

[Alek77]

what about the slopes behind old foundations?

 

[RedGinger]

That's a great place to check for bottles.

 

[Alek77]

like not in the foundation itself but around the outside?

 

[cobaltbot]

Could be both, test hole in the foundation and around the outside. Did you go back to that first coke bottle foundation yet???

 

[Alek77]

no and i really dont want 2 lol

 

[lepew62]

This creek thing has me thinking. I live very close to a creek that is running very shallow right now. I bet there is not a hole over 3 feet deep at this time. I do know where a cpl old farms border it in spots. I might have to take me a little walk tomorrow and see what happens. I will fill you in tomorrow night. I guess a good thing about creek banks is that they are constant. Woods can be cut and cleared to expand fields thus destroying old dumps.

 

[steamfitter38]

creek digging is a great way to find bottles.i have been thru every creek in my area and have found many bottles.this is how i found my secret dump spot ..on a creek bank where an old farm/neighbor hood once stood.all that is left is the dump area.

 

[Plumbata]

Creek/Ravine dumps are some of the easiest to find without a probe or detector, in my experience. Get a feel for the natural soil stratification in the area and pay close attention to irregularities. Look for coal clinkers and ash, rusted cans, and any and all shards. Sometimes you may find an area with old shards and building rubble, but it may have been dumped by truck within the past 50 years and may not yield anything concentrated or substantial enough to be worthwhile.

Pay attention to zones of gravel, clay and sand which seem out of place, as they may be on top of, or mixed in with an area used to dump trash. Also, if there are any bank protrusions or peninsular areas which have altered the course of the waterway, but don't look natural, it is likely that us humans had something to do with it.

Also, if you live in an area with groundhogs or other prolific burrowers, inspect the tailings of every hole and look inside for evidence of refuse or bottles which may be partially exposed in the walls. I found a nice little dump right when I got back to school this semester, thanks to a groundhog which kicked out a nice complete soda, and when i looked in the burrow I saw the base of a 1 gallon jug which came out complete (after I ran to get my shovel)!

If you find shards of glass, pottery, and dishware, inspect the pieces to determine how "tumbled" they are. If they are hazy and if the broken edges are smoothed, it is likely that it traveled quite a long distance and pinpointing where it came from would be problematic or impossible. If the material looks fresh, or if you find complete bottles not destroyed by frost, then you are probably quite close to an exposed area just a bit upstream.

You are bound to find something! Best wishes!