DIGSTOCK VIII - Back to Where It All Began

Some sites are just too special to visit only once. For Digstock VIII, we returned to where it all started—the very same North Carolina farm that hosted our first-ever Digstock event back in 2020. But this wasn’t just a walk down memory lane.

This land holds secrets.

Beneath its unassuming fields lies the footprint of a large, long-occupied Native American settlement—a site teeming with history, stories, and relics waiting to be rediscovered. After the success of our artifact-focused Digstock VI, we knew this was the perfect location for our next Native American hunt.

And what happened here would blow our expectations—and yours—completely out of the water.

Bigger, Deeper, and Even More Incredible

Like its predecessor, Digstock VIII was designed to be a no-frills dig. No vendor tents. No food trucks. Just more time in the dirt and less time in line. What we did offer was unrestricted digging, full permission to open pits as deep as needed, and a whole lot of enthusiasm.

Our last artifact event brought out around 90 participants.

This time? Over 135 eager diggers made the journey.

Some came to search for Native American stone tools. Others came to detect for relics, even though we were transparent about this being the same site as Digstock I. But as anyone who’s been around this hobby knows—you never get it all.

And once again, we were proven right.

A Field of Dreams—and Drills, Points, and Pottery

Not 30 minutes after the gates opened, the hollering began. Artifacts were coming out of the ground two and three at a time. Following the local legend Mr. Jeff Wise across the fields, attendees quickly found their sweet spots and went to work.

What came out of the earth was nothing short of museum-worthy:

• Drills

• Hammer stones

• Pottery shards

• Grinding bowls

• Kirk points

• Guilfords

• …and more than we could even keep track of.

  
  

We literally filled an entire camera memory card with finds—something that has never happened at one of our events with such a small crowd before.

Relics Rise Again

As incredible as the artifact finds were, those who brought their detectors and slowed things down also saw big rewards.

Despite 275 people hunting this land during Digstock I in 2020, a few persistent individuals pushed through the iron, filtered the junk, and uncovered a previously untouched colonial site dating back to around 1740. The site had been missed entirely before. That’s the power of patience and experience.

In the span of a few days, this land that once birthed Digstock was now reborn—as both an artifact and a relic hunter’s paradise.

Weather, Wisdom, and Wonderful Company

Aside from a bit of rain and some gusty wind, the weather mostly played nice. Spirits were high, and the laughter was louder than any wind.

From seasoned relic hunters to first-time diggers, from kids with wide eyes to veterans of the hobby with decades under their belts—everyone was out there sharing stories, comparing finds, and throwing a little friendly smack talk around the fields.

And once again, Mr. James Parker was with us, demonstrating the art of flint knapping live in the very location where it was done thousands of years ago. His knowledge, craftsmanship, and passion added depth and soul to the entire experience.

A Goodbye with Gratitude

We ended the event with some heartfelt giveaways—including display cases and dig gear—and bid farewell to another unforgettable Digstock chapter.

But the work wasn’t over.

The real grind began after sunset, as our team filled in hundreds of deep pits. The fields looked like something out of a wartime photo—craters and foxholes everywhere. But by the early morning hours, it was done. The land was smoothed, cleaned, and cared for—just as it should be.

Final Thoughts

Digstock VIII was more than just a return to where we started. It was a full-circle moment—a confirmation that this hobby still has so much left to uncover. We witnessed a field once alive with relics now explode with artifact discoveries of a lifetime.

It was humbling. It was historic. And it was a hell of a lot of fun.

To everyone who joined us: thank you. We can’t wait to do it again.

Until next time—keep digging.

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