- Joined
- Apr 24, 2010
- Messages
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- Location
- Upper Canada 🇨🇦
- 🥇 Banner finds
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- Detector(s) used
- XP Deus, Lesche Piranha 35 Shovel & 'Garrett Carrot'
- Primary Interest:
- Relic Hunting
This was my second visit back to this site in as many weeks and I was hoping to find more coins and buttons from an old homestead that was located here in the 1820’s. 
I’ve been hunting two old horse paddocks, which had soybean crop in them up until a week ago; they’re also located just west of a now abandoned 1870 farmhouse. There were archeological excavations of an unknown structure on the edge of the paddock last year. They excavated a much larger section here then they have on other sites in this area. The total area the archeologists 'sifted soil' from was around 50' x 50', on most sites they usually just dig 2' x 2' test holes. I understand the results from these digs will be made available to the public in about year, at that time I'd have to submit a request for a copy of the report. So far, most of my older finds have come from the field within 20' of the archeological site.
History of the Site
Windfields Farm in Ontario is the birthplace of racing great and champion sire Northern Dancer, winner of the 1964 Kentucky Derby, in stakes record time, the Preakness Stakes, and the Queen's Plate. Retired from racing after the 1964-racing season, he went on to an even more brilliant career at stud. The National Thoroughbred Racing Association states that Northern Dancer is "one of the most influential sires in Thoroughbred history," and the Daily Racing Form calls Northern Dancer the most influential sire of the 20th century. Northern Dancer is also regarded as the 20th century's best sire of sires.
Led by Northern Dancer, in the 1960s Windfields Farm earned more prize money than any other stable in North American Thoroughbred racing. Windfields bred Northern Dancer's sons Nijinsky, Secreto, and The Minstrel, all of whom won England's most prestigious race, the Epsom Derby.
In 1968, a barn fire at the Maryland division resulted in the death of thirteen horses that had just arrived from the Canadian farm. Included in the horses that died were twelve mares, three of which were in foal to Northern Dancer and one to Nearctic. Northern Dancer spent most of his years at stud at the Maryland division, which also became home to other sires such as Dancer's Image and Assert. A national icon in Canada, Northern Dancer died in 1990 at Windfields' Maryland farm but was returned to his birthplace in Oshawa for burial.
I started by digging a lot of brass shot gun shells today, there were literally dozens of them spread throughout the field!
I did manage find one small flat button and a small horse rosette, which is likely made of pewter. I also found a racehorse shoe, a couple of modern brass buckles, an iron buckle and a very interesting American-made bronze buckle. The buckle is marked ‘Dapper’ Solid Bronze – US Pat. No. 2467006. With some online research tonight, I found this unusual looking buckle was patented in September 1949. If anyone has an idea as to its function, I would appreciate it if you would let me know! 
I currently have the buckles, the flat button and the rosette in the tumbler, I'll post pics of the 'end results' tomorrow morning! 
After digging a ton of shotgun shells and not much of anything else, I decided to hunt in the long grass behind the old farmhouse. I managed to find .53 cents and a couple of cool hot wheels toys!
Thanks for looking,
Dave
I’ve been hunting two old horse paddocks, which had soybean crop in them up until a week ago; they’re also located just west of a now abandoned 1870 farmhouse. There were archeological excavations of an unknown structure on the edge of the paddock last year. They excavated a much larger section here then they have on other sites in this area. The total area the archeologists 'sifted soil' from was around 50' x 50', on most sites they usually just dig 2' x 2' test holes. I understand the results from these digs will be made available to the public in about year, at that time I'd have to submit a request for a copy of the report. So far, most of my older finds have come from the field within 20' of the archeological site.History of the Site
Windfields Farm in Ontario is the birthplace of racing great and champion sire Northern Dancer, winner of the 1964 Kentucky Derby, in stakes record time, the Preakness Stakes, and the Queen's Plate. Retired from racing after the 1964-racing season, he went on to an even more brilliant career at stud. The National Thoroughbred Racing Association states that Northern Dancer is "one of the most influential sires in Thoroughbred history," and the Daily Racing Form calls Northern Dancer the most influential sire of the 20th century. Northern Dancer is also regarded as the 20th century's best sire of sires.
Led by Northern Dancer, in the 1960s Windfields Farm earned more prize money than any other stable in North American Thoroughbred racing. Windfields bred Northern Dancer's sons Nijinsky, Secreto, and The Minstrel, all of whom won England's most prestigious race, the Epsom Derby.
In 1968, a barn fire at the Maryland division resulted in the death of thirteen horses that had just arrived from the Canadian farm. Included in the horses that died were twelve mares, three of which were in foal to Northern Dancer and one to Nearctic. Northern Dancer spent most of his years at stud at the Maryland division, which also became home to other sires such as Dancer's Image and Assert. A national icon in Canada, Northern Dancer died in 1990 at Windfields' Maryland farm but was returned to his birthplace in Oshawa for burial.
I started by digging a lot of brass shot gun shells today, there were literally dozens of them spread throughout the field!
I did manage find one small flat button and a small horse rosette, which is likely made of pewter. I also found a racehorse shoe, a couple of modern brass buckles, an iron buckle and a very interesting American-made bronze buckle. The buckle is marked ‘Dapper’ Solid Bronze – US Pat. No. 2467006. With some online research tonight, I found this unusual looking buckle was patented in September 1949. If anyone has an idea as to its function, I would appreciate it if you would let me know! I currently have the buckles, the flat button and the rosette in the tumbler, I'll post pics of the 'end results' tomorrow morning! After digging a ton of shotgun shells and not much of anything else, I decided to hunt in the long grass behind the old farmhouse. I managed to find .53 cents and a couple of cool hot wheels toys!
Thanks for looking,
Dave
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I'm going to give it another go tomorrow morning. 
I noticed there were lots of pieces of what I thought was black pottery spread all over the field, but it wasn't pottery, it was more of a bakelite material. That's exactly what they were using this field for was skeet shooting, as the field is littered with literally hundreds of shells! 
