what do i need to know to start a new dig?

[kranked003]

hello
this weekend i approached a neighbor who has an old log cabin on her property. her no trespassing signs say "come see me for a tour" so i did. she told of a german family in the 1860s who relocated the cabin to here. she showed me around the inside of the cabin but the whole time i was looking at the bottles in there. nothing real old, she added them to make the place look old. one was a coon hollow bourban whiskey that looks sweet but abm. upstairs she has some large stoneware which had the numbers 8 and 5 in cobalt blueand large wooden barrels. she said her grandpap made wine with them. back outside all i could think about was wheres the privy? actually the outhouse was sitting about 60 yards from the house, but i already looked and it was sitting on the ground. so, i brought it up and she said it was moved from here and here, pointing out the most beautiful sights, two depressed areas in the lawn about 30 feet from the house. I want to dig bad, but how do i get her to say yes. i am a privy virgin!!! i dont want to blow it and have not done a real privy before. what do i need to know to get the yes. and also to get to the bottom with out being crushed? so anyone want to share some real tips from experiences?
thanks in advance
E

 

[blobbottlebob]

Hey Kranked003. You sound, well, kranked up about this! Good luck on getting permission and then finding great stuff. I am no expert on digs but I have tagged along for a few. I think one thing that really can help is let your enthusiasm show to the homeowners. Tell them that there might be some interesting history buried in their yard. Inform her that you just want to try to probe first. It really doesn't harm anything and you are just checking around. Assuming you find something, ask if you can dig a test hole. Get them involved if they want to take a turn digging or anything. I might also offer to share some of it with them (that's just me - It's their property after all). Lastly, take a "No" gracefully. Maybe ask them to just think about it. Come back with some common stuff later (cokes, bromos etc.) and give it to them unconditionally. Okay. Maybe hard core diggers will have better ideas . . .

 

[kranked003]

i was looking around the area before talking to her and found this chunk of glass near and old foundation. its a pretty sun colored amythest BIM bottle top. notice the long airbubbles. anyone ever see something like this one. i know its only the top but it really sparked my interest there. just to the right of the two bubbles and starting just below where the mold seams end there are two small raised ridges going down over the shoulder. this may help to id it. if there are other bottles like this in the area i would be real kranked. lol

 

[RICKJJ59W]

You have to start somewhere,just come out and ask.But don't tell her its your first one.She may get a bit nervous,then again she may not.Go with the gut. Tell her how much you (Love History) and the bottles that go along with it.If she says no move on to the next one.You can't get discouraged with the nos,the more you do it the more you will hear YES.Also get someone to help you if she says yes.
If you need anything else PM me.