Yikes, the pasture is drying out!

[Easylife]

Not so long ago there were great muddy puddles around the field gateways to be negotiated by using the odd bricks and rocks as stepping stones, but now they are just like patches of dry concrete! It's quite surprising how in just a few days the pasture can go from very easy digging to rather dry. Just a week or so ago all it took was to simply stand on the moist clods to flatten them back down into place, but now being much drier they need some serious hammering down with the back of my heafty spade to make acceptably good. The young cows and bullocks are starting to populate the pasture in increasing numbers each visit and if my dug clods are not well adhered they will just get lifted out by the grazing herds.
The lower ground is now bone dry, but it can be quite variable higher up in patches due to some natural springs within. I think that my more favoured fields have pretty much become out of bounds for now judging from my last recent visit until some decent prolonged rain, though my much less favoured fields are stilll likely fair game. In summer the higher ground is always like concrete so is mainly just a winter sport. Maybe my next visit will be my last for now? But the fields just seem to keep on giving and I'm in no rush to exhaust them so they'll keep until better conditions.

[Oxgirl]

Yes I’m having the same issue. I went on a clay based pasture this week and it’s pretty much undiggable now on all but the very bottom of the field. We need some rain (can’t believe I’m already saying that!).

[alloverover]

Not so long ago there were great muddy puddles around the field gateways to be negotiated by using the odd bricks and rocks as stepping stones, but now they are just like patches of dry concrete! It's quite surprising how in just a few days the pasture can go from very easy digging to rather dry. Just a week or so ago all it took was to simply stand on the moist clods to flatten them back down into place, but now being much drier they need some serious hammering down with the back of my heafty spade to make acceptably good. The young cows and bullocks are starting to populate the pasture in increasing numbers each visit and if my dug clods are not well adhered they will just get lifted out by the grazing herds.
The lower ground is now bone dry, but it can be quite variable higher up in patches due to some natural springs within. I think that my more favoured fields have pretty much become out of bounds for now judging from my last recent visit until some decent prolonged rain, though my much less favoured fields are stilll likely fair game. In summer the higher ground is always like concrete so is mainly just a winter sport. Maybe my next visit will be my last for now? But the fields just seem to keep on giving and I'm in no rush to exhaust them so they'll keep until better conditions.

Never done much pasture and never really fancied it, I know you can get some nice bits and bobs up that havent been battered around by the plough but I much prefere just scooping out a spit of sandy soil with my hand

[Oxgirl]

Never done much pasture and never really fancied it, I know you can get some nice bits and bobs up that havent been battered around by the plough but I much prefere just scooping out a spit of sandy soil with my hand

You are missing out! I used to think ploughed was easier but pasture is definitely my favourite now. I like knowing the depth of the find means something. I guess we get used to whatever we mainly detect on though

[Easylife]

I used to think ploughed was easier but pasture is definitely my favourite now. I like knowing the depth of the find means something. I guess we get used to whatever we mainly detect on though

Pasture can vary immensely from fields of much activity to fields of nowt. I have a few of the former it seems and after 4 or 5 years now of between visits on this pasture the collective finds are drawing conclusion of it's real unwritten history. The depth of finds is no real indication of age here as it can give fairly modern at say a foot deep but has produced two Roman coins at just a few inches. But it was certainly ploughed at least once at some time, I guess last around WWII? The ground firmness can be quite variable but 1970's copper 2p's generally tend to be at about 4" or so depending if the cattle have trod them in. So not an exact science but most targets are intact as they have not played Russian roulette with a plough several times a year.
If I am quite honest at one point I felt like this permission didn't have much more to give but despite all my previous finds from it, this year has probably been the best and it's showing no signs of letting up anytime soon. I'm seeing it in a new light now, most of the easier targets are gone so I really question the rest and it's quite surprising what just one way targets can produce. Or even the jumpy ones next to iron with an instinctive knowingness. I'd say know your land and know your detector for the best results.

[figgis]

Last time I was out there were certain areas of the field which were parched and effort was needed to get through the crust. That was about 10 days ago, so lord knows what they're like now.

[Bors]

" Yikes" now that`s a very under - used word these days . I bet most under the age of 20 , kids havn`t even heard of it .

[Pete E]

Pasture can vary immensely from fields of much activity to fields of nowt. I have a few of the former it seems and after 4 or 5 years now of between visits on this pasture the collective finds are drawing conclusion of it's real unwritten history. The depth of finds is no real indication of age here as it can give fairly modern at say a foot deep but has produced two Roman coins at just a few inches. But it was certainly ploughed at least once at some time, I guess last around WWII? The ground firmness can be quite variable but 1970's copper 2p's generally tend to be at about 4" or so depending if the cattle have trod them in. So not an exact science but most targets are intact as they have not played Russian roulette with a plough several times a year.
If I am quite honest at one point I felt like this permission didn't have much more to give but despite all my previous finds from it, this year has probably been the best and it's showing no signs of letting up anytime soon. I'm seeing it in a new light now, most of the easier targets are gone so I really question the rest and it's quite surprising what just one way targets can produce. Or even the jumpy ones next to iron with an instinctive knowingness. I'd say know your land and know your detector for the best results.

I still can't believe how quick some objects seem to sink even on firm dry pasture . I used to shoot over a farm I now detect over, and I have found one or two of my .223Rem cartridge cases down at 8" to 10"....They have been in the ground probably between 20years to 30years, and in that period, the field has never been ploughed as far as I can remember.....

[Bors]

Quote Cath ,...." You are missing out! I used to think ploughed was easier but pasture is definitely my favourite now. ".

Its most definitely NOT my favorite.. Its hard going on pasture and even more so, the longer the grass gets.
Gimme nice flat loamy sandy soil ANY day of the week, its a doddle to dig in that, but sadly very little of it up my way . Probably 80% pasture up here and the higher up you get it can be 100% pasture , because steep hillsides makes ploughing dangerous.

[Easylife]

Its most definitely NOT my favorite. Its hard going on pasture and even more so, the longer the grass gets.

I also have another 500 acre pasture permission but targets are extremely few there so it's not much fun, but my local one is quite the opposite. The bovine mowers keep it nice and short too!

[Oxgirl]

Quote Cath ,...." You are missing out! I used to think ploughed was easier but pasture is definitely my favourite now. ".

Its most definitely NOT my favorite.. Its hard going on pasture and even more so, the longer the grass gets.
Gimme nice flat loamy sandy soil ANY day of the week, its a doddle to dig in that, but sadly very little of it up my way . Probably 80% pasture up here and the higher up you get it can be 100% pasture , because steep hillsides makes ploughing dangerous.

Many of my ploughed permissions are clay based soil, hard work and not prolific whilst the pasture is much softer soil, rubbish free and well grazed. I guess it depends on your permissions

[Easylife]

I'd say that the main factor is likely just how productive any land is whether pasture or cultivated. Pasture is generally easier on the ankles, finds are usually undamaged and maybe found deeper?

[Easylife]

Without even having to visit the pasture I know it will be well dried up now until we get some decent rain, but it will keep! I have a 30 acre field which is available to me all year round but I have enough other things to keep me occupied for now.

[shaggybfc]

We really need a week or 2 of constant rain. The Warwickshire clay pasture is rock hard now and the cultivated is full of air.

[Pete E]

We really need a week or 2 of constant rain. The Warwickshire clay pasture is rock hard now and the cultivated is full of air.

We could do with some heavy rain here in North Wales also, but looking at the long range weather forecast on the BBC, it doesn't seem likely over the next 10 days or so..