Golden Ball Hill
Wiltshire - England
Vale of Pewsey
May 1, 2005
OBSERVATION OF RAPESEED PLANS
For several years, Culture-crop carefully followed the formations that appeared in rapeseed in England. Under the effect of the beds, the stems of this crop do not behave in quite the same way as those of wheat or barley. Being thicker, the stems are more difficult to flatten, making the effects of mechanical pressure more visible: bends, fractures and scratches are more frequent and obvious. This did not, however, deter counterfeiters, who persisted for decades until 2024, when no crop circle was seen in rapeseed in England.
Let's go back to May 2005, at the foot of the famous Golden Ball Hill near Adam's Grave in the Pewey Valley (the epicenter of the crop circle phenomenon), where we spotted a formation with surprising characteristics. On the ground, traces of usual human activities, as described above, were not clearly identifiable. On the contrary, we observed stems with significant curvatures, remaining almost horizontal, and a formation presenting a "carpet of flowers" as if the surface of the crop had simply been lowered by one level.
For several years, Culture-crop carefully followed the formations that appeared in rapeseed in England. Under the effect of the beds, the stems of this crop do not behave in quite the same way as those of wheat or barley. Being thicker, the stems are more difficult to flatten, making the effects of mechanical pressure more visible: bends, fractures and scratches are more frequent and obvious. This did not, however, deter counterfeiters, who persisted for decades until 2024, when no crop circle was seen in rapeseed in England.
Let's go back to May 2005, at the foot of the famous Golden Ball Hill near Adam's Grave in the Pewey Valley (the epicenter of the crop circle phenomenon), where we spotted a formation with surprising characteristics. On the ground, traces of usual human activities, as described above, were not clearly identifiable. On the contrary, we observed stems with significant curvatures, remaining almost horizontal, and a formation presenting a "carpet of flowers" as if the surface of the crop had simply been lowered by one level.
Images extraites de la photo gallery of William Betts - 1 day after his discovery - The "flower carpet" of Golden Ball Hill - 2005
From then on, we began to archive and meticulously observe the crop circles that appear in rapeseed and we watched for the arrival of a next, equivalent formation.
This happened in April 2009 at Rutlands Farm, right next to the very touristy Avebury site. We therefore had to wait 4 years since the Golden Ball Hill event. Four years during which we saw an armada of crop circles parade by which looked more like battlefields than anything else.
This happened in April 2009 at Rutlands Farm, right next to the very touristy Avebury site. We therefore had to wait 4 years since the Golden Ball Hill event. Four years during which we saw an armada of crop circles parade by which looked more like battlefields than anything else.
Images taken from the photo gallery of William Betts - 10 days after its discovery - The Rutlands "flower carpet" Farm - 2009 - Aerial photo by Lucy Pringle
A SIMPLE QUESTION THAT LEADS TO OTHERS...
Is it possible that a team of hoaxers (acting mechanically on the crops) was capable of bending - permanently - rapeseed plants over large areas without leaving any traces?
When a stalk of rapeseed encounters strong mechanical pressure, either:
We were therefore particularly interested when we found, on large areas, rapeseed plants bent almost horizontally. This only clearly manifested itself twice between 2005 and 2009.
The year 2010 in England was both interesting and educational for us. The season was late, and several rapeseed training courses provided us with additional data on the behavior of this plant. It must be admitted that we are generally little informed about this culture and that we do not often have to worry about its different states. At the beginning of May 2010, two crop circles appeared in barely mature rapeseed. One was located in Old Sarum, while the other was near the famous megalithic site of Stonehenge.
These training courses allowed us to observe the reactions of rapeseed under different conditions and enriched our understanding of how this plant reacts to mechanical pressure. Thanks to these observations, we were able to collect valuable data and deepen our research into the phenomenon of crop circles in rapeseed.
The crop circles of Old Sarum & Stonehenge 2010 - Aerial images by Lucy Pringle ©
They both have the same characteristics:
Tiges Fracturées du crop circle de Old Sarum - 2010
The stems of the crop circle of Old Sarum 2010 have risen
Fractured stems from the Stonehenge crop circle - 2010
The stems of the 2010 Stonehenge crop circle have risen
These two training courses delighted the curious, but were carried out with boards. We were on site to observe and archive the facts and data.
Then a new crop circle...
Towards the end of May 2010 a formation arrived in another rapeseed field at Wilton Windmill near a windmill, and this time the crop was approaching the maturity of the two "mysterious" formations of previous years. The day after its discovery an English friend, Robert Hulse, produced a mini report, filming and commenting on the general state of the crop circle as well as the important details. (Link to the Video on Youtube)
The Wilton Windmill crop circle 2010 - Image by Lucy Pringle ©
Here is what he observed:
Below are images taken from Robert Hulse's video in the Wilton Windmill formation in 2010. The video was made the day after the discovery of the crop circle. The flowers on the ground were very damaged in places - Scratches and fractures on the stems were visible throughout the formation.
Is it possible that a team of hoaxers (acting mechanically on the crops) was capable of bending - permanently - rapeseed plants over large areas without leaving any traces?
- If the answer is yes: what is their method and why, in this case, do all formations of this type present only a spectacle of desolation? Why don't hoaxers systematically do everything possible to mystify the curious? Why don't they work cleanly every time? Is it because there is only one team capable of carrying out these formations, and this team only operates very rarely? (We can estimate that two formations in four years is not a lot considering the number of crop circles that have occurred in rapeseed over several years in England.)
- If the answer is no : how are the curvatures produced and who is behind the phenomenon?
When a stalk of rapeseed encounters strong mechanical pressure, either:
- it bends and straightens quickly
- it bends at the base
- she fractures
We were therefore particularly interested when we found, on large areas, rapeseed plants bent almost horizontally. This only clearly manifested itself twice between 2005 and 2009.
The year 2010 in England was both interesting and educational for us. The season was late, and several rapeseed training courses provided us with additional data on the behavior of this plant. It must be admitted that we are generally little informed about this culture and that we do not often have to worry about its different states. At the beginning of May 2010, two crop circles appeared in barely mature rapeseed. One was located in Old Sarum, while the other was near the famous megalithic site of Stonehenge.
These training courses allowed us to observe the reactions of rapeseed under different conditions and enriched our understanding of how this plant reacts to mechanical pressure. Thanks to these observations, we were able to collect valuable data and deepen our research into the phenomenon of crop circles in rapeseed.
The crop circles of Old Sarum & Stonehenge 2010 - Aerial images by Lucy Pringle ©
They both have the same characteristics:
- clear fractures at the base
- stems covered in scratches
- stems which rose very clearly once the mechanical pressure had passed when they had not been fractured.
Tiges Fracturées du crop circle de Old Sarum - 2010
The stems of the crop circle of Old Sarum 2010 have risen
Fractured stems from the Stonehenge crop circle - 2010
The stems of the 2010 Stonehenge crop circle have risen
These two training courses delighted the curious, but were carried out with boards. We were on site to observe and archive the facts and data.
Then a new crop circle...
Towards the end of May 2010 a formation arrived in another rapeseed field at Wilton Windmill near a windmill, and this time the crop was approaching the maturity of the two "mysterious" formations of previous years. The day after its discovery an English friend, Robert Hulse, produced a mini report, filming and commenting on the general state of the crop circle as well as the important details. (Link to the Video on Youtube)
The Wilton Windmill crop circle 2010 - Image by Lucy Pringle ©
Here is what he observed:
- the stems were fractured or bent at their base
- there are no horizontally curved rods
- the uppers had clear scratches
Below are images taken from Robert Hulse's video in the Wilton Windmill formation in 2010. The video was made the day after the discovery of the crop circle. The flowers on the ground were very damaged in places - Scratches and fractures on the stems were visible throughout the formation.
