The Dancey pit was a shallow gravel pit approximately 2 meters deep and 0.5 ha in size. It was at the bottom end of the farm field and lent itself nicely to becoming an extension of the workable area. Enough area adjacent to the pit was stripped back of its topsoil and the gravelly subsoil was used to grade the site. The topsoil was replaced and shared with the former pit area. A nurse crop of buckwheat was sewn to help add tilth to soil structure.