What side of a windbreak tree line?

[A#1]

Say you have an 80 acre farm field. at one end of the field is a line of large trees, clearly a windbreak line. The 2-track roads leading to it show no clear sign of a driveway, but more or less were the driveway and probably farm paths at one point. No visible signs of anything else yet to clue me as to the location of the house.

What side of the windbreak SHOULD the house have been on?

I'm thinking on the east side, with the local winds generally being from a westerly direction.

 

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[Indian Steve]

I would agree with you. Can you find any old topo maps that might show the house location? Other than that, put your detector in all metal and start sweeping the field until you find the "iron patch" and then discriminate and find the goodies.

 

[A#1]

I have lots of maps of the area, but nothung marks the house location. I also have a 1954 aerial of the area, and there is no sign.

The area is still under enough snow to keep me from trying much else, hopefully this weekend will be an opportunity.

I wandered around the area in December, but was working off the word of a local that said there had been a house/orchard there. Clearly there was activity, but even then, I hadn't seen the windbreak. That changed everything.

 

[sonofdust]

I would think the south side ?
Our hardest weather comes out of the North East.

 

[A#1]

I would think the south side ?
Our hardest weather comes out of the North East.

Suppose I forgot to mention, the line of trees goes north/south, so the house would have been east or west of the line.

 

[boogeyman]

Open your search up a bit. In California you'd see several fields and the house & barn in between or a little ways away from the fields. I assume so the house was upwind during plowing. Always had a road or trail between the windbreak & the field to run farm equipment on. Open up your search are a little and look for signs of foundations further away from the field. Remember people weren't as lazy as we are today, a half mile walk to the fields was nothing. Today three steps from the house is way too far.

 

[Indian Steve]

I have family in Grand Rapids, the UP and Traverse City. I spent from August 77 to December 77 in Grand Rapids. It started snowing in October and just never seemed to stop. I got up on Dec.10th to 10 more inches of snow, called my boss & quit, loaded the jeep and went back home to sunny, warm North Carolina.

 

[A#1]

I have family in Grand Rapids, the UP and Traverse City. I spent from August 77 to December 77 in Grand Rapids. It started snowing in October and just never seemed to stop. I got up on Dec.10th to 10 more inches of snow, called my boss & quit, loaded the jeep and went back home to sunny, warm North Carolina.

Yeh, snows a lot here, and the cold sucks. But it sure is nice in the summertime.

 

[releventchair]

I'd zig zag the windrow.
That said....
Not all that far South of you , and in many areas of the state those old homesteads/homes were well thought out for location on a site.
Higher ground ,even if not great elevation , but at least some. Others noticeably higher ground.
Southern exposures thaw first.
Predominant wind could determine outhouse location.
Summer shade for a root cellar.

I can only guess the East side for a home site. To break a N.W. or West winter wind. (Your area being affected by Lake Mi. lake effect.)
And the morning light in winter ,when light is at shortest amounts per day starting/coming from the S.E...
That would be enhanced with some shade trees (of a type to drop leaves come fall and let light through) to the East yet beyond the windrow, farther out in the "yard".

BUT , if a view of the field(s) or stock pastures was desired the home could have been sited differently. Or the layout of all but the house followed the house site....

 

[A#1]

I couldn't swing nothin, still 2 feet of snow in there, but i walked right up to a cellar hole on the east side of that treeline. It must habe been a good sized house, larger than most celar holes i find. Though only 3 people lived there.