Getting Permission from Farmers

John (not his real name) had a map that showed him where a long-ago 1850s schoolhouse had stood, and he knew the name of the farmer who owned the property.

John's dilemma: How to ask permission? What to do, what to say, what NOT to do or say?

In this show, I discuss the approach John used, and then I give my own thoughts on what John did right, and what he did that maybe wasn't so right, and what he could have done instead.

Listen at http://thetreasurecorner.com.

Very good presentation Dan. I especially like the idea of having business cards to keep a reminder in the hands of a prospective permission grantor. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for the kind words! I've done a couple of shows about business cards for treasure hunters. Go to http://thetreasurecorner.com and scroll down to shows #77 and #94 for some great tips on what to put on (and what to leave off!) your business cards.

Nice podcast Dan and thanks for sharing. Agree with nearly all the points you bring up. Especially agree with being dressed nice. I usually don't plan on going detecting the same day I ask for permission. That's just me. I usually focus my hobby interest on old/colonial cellar holes, and often there's more than one on multiple properties along the old roads in the woods here in Vermont. Thus I typically have more than one house call to make and this takes some time. A 600 acre site with multiple cellar holes and one owner are usually the exception rather than the rule. Depending on the percentage success of yes vs no I may get to hunt them all, or just one. Dress nice and be courteous. Try to engage the person about some brief history of their property and in my experience this ice breaker technique can work wonders. Finally, I agree that I would feel rather uncomfortable walking out in the field to a farmer in his tractor. Much prefer talking to someone working in the yard right by the house, or knocking on the door.

Regards,

-John

Thanks, John! (And you're not the John in my story!) Talking his property's history is a great idea, and I wish I'd included it in the show! Next time I address the subject I'll try to remember that!

Good job on the show. I try to know some of the history of the site beforehand to show I'm serious enough to do some homework. Also I have a business card that introduces me as a metal detecting hobbyist and on the back I say can help recover lost valuables for free and include my metal detecting code of ethics. They always read that and it seems to have been the deciding factor on one of my best permissions.

Thanks for posting these Dan. Especially that one. Now that it's getting cold and I'll be cooped up, I'm looking forward to listening to more of your other podcasts and get some more education.

Permissions is on the top of my list for next season for sure. Only 6 months into it, so I spent it learning to detect and do lawn surgery. I was 1 for 3 on permissions. 2 were in person while the home owner was outside, one of which was my permission with Lee aboard. I phoned one in to a developer who stripped out a wooded lot in the oldest section of my town that had a house in the early 1800's, but got shot down.
Don't know if age makes a difference or not, but I've almost completed my 46'th trip around the sun. I'm liking the idea of getting some cards done up. I do have a ring rescue under my belt.

I have two podcasts about what to put on your metal detecting business card - and more importantly, what NOT to put on it! Go to http://thetreasurecorner.com and scroll down to shows #77 and #94.

And for upping your permission percentages, listen to show #46!

Oh - you say 46? Still a puppy! (I just turned 67 1/4).