DetectingWales.com

Hi, friends. A family member of mine helps out on a local farm and from what I can tell he has a good relationship with the owner. I haven't had a really good look at the place, but I'm hopeful it has at least one field that could be 'detectable'. I'm thinking, after Christmas, of going to this farm and asking the owner if I can get permission to scan it.

Basically, I'm asking (as a novice) for any tips and advice from seasoned detectorists for how to go about this. Are there thing I should or should not say to the farmer? Are there any permissions to be signed, etc, etc.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, folks.  :)

My advice would be yourself. Some farmers are hard work but i asked 25 farmers and got one who said yes. But the farmer who said yes was a nice bloke.. All he wanted was me to fill my holes because of the sheep. He has 600 acres of pasture and plough and that give me the confidence to ask more.. If you don't ask you don't get.
Good luck mate

Hi,

I would first ask your family member if you can name drop. That always helps. Then pop up  the farm and ask if the farmer has 5 mins for a chat (dont presume he's not busy) Take a print out of your name , address , car reg , mobile number ect.

Explain exactly what you want to do  (dont presume the farmer knows exactly what we do in metal detecting)
Explain we dont dig 4ft x 5 ft holes and leave them uncovered.
Offer some of the finds to the farmer if he's intersted.

Theres a start....

i thing i will had to that taff if you dont mind ??? allways go dressed half tidy dont go like a tramp not saying you are a tramp mind but it do help best of luck  ;)

Lol. I'm usually quite presentable, Phil.

What about this permission form I've been told about? Do you all use them on every field you want permission for or not? If you do, when do you introduce it? Is it right away or have a scan or two first and then do it?

Good stuff so far. Thanks, guys.  :)

thats a load of bull mate you just need yourself and if they want a agreement then so it be one more thing i found that helped is  liability insurance (did i spell that right ) which you get from any good club when you join this helps alot and just be yourself mate  ;)

that is good to know isnt it leighton
debs

Whatever you do don't mention signing anything untill you have got permission, this can put farmers off straight away.
Mention that you are interested in the history of the area, show the landowner any pics of finds that you have had on other farms, this can get them interested.
Tell them you are insured.
Offer a free recovery service for anything lost on their land, as long as it's a recent loss and not ancient  :)
If all else fails, tell them that at the moment they have 100% of nothing buried on their land, but they could have 50% of something if they let you search their land.

This last one seems to get them thinking.

Steve.

Good advice there 1morecoin
debs

i only have verbal arrangements with my farmers...but an agreement on 50/50 of anything valuable....always show the farmer what you've found....that way he wont think you are hiding anything from him......good luck....byron

hallo , when visiting a new farm i like to set up the machine before getting to the farmers house...... just to give an incline to the farmer why you are there in the first place, i always start the conversation with... " hello im sorry to bother you but would it be ok i have a little go in your field" from the first conversation  you can build up a good friendship and a trust between you and the farmer..... the ones ive asked have just said " oh you just carry on" ..... just be yourself and polite and you should get your permission ....... good luck  ;)

If you set up your machine first, you might give the impression your assuming that you will get permision ! I wouldnt think that a good idea.

I definitely would not wave agreement forms into the face of a farmer you hardly know, very bad idea. That sort of thing in my opinion isnt generally a good idea. Ther has to be an element of trust between you, better to show all your finds and discuss them openly at the end of each outting. And make sure you leave the gates how you find them !

I was on a farm last year in Abergavenny talking to a customer, when a guy pulled up onto his yard. Asked if he could go and walk his field ? He was told it had a public foot path, know need to ask. He looked very shifty, then he said, i want to carry out a brief survey,  I knew what he meant but the farmer didnt,  So I said you want to go metal detecting ?

He nodded. The farmer asked me what I thought and I said no ! After the guy had gone, the farmer said, he looked shifty, and we both agreed that his manner and attitude gave the wrong opinion straight away.
If he couldnt be honest and say what he wanted to do in the beginning, it gave the wrong signals.

Be yourself and be polite as said pr.eviously

Lol stig(mick) thats a good one hehehe
debs