Updated Thursday 23rd July 1998
Latty Township (near Paulding), Ohio, USA. Reported July 6.
Field Report
News of a new formation has been passed on to me by Sue Sitzmann. It is a dumbbell design with outlying satellite, not far from last year's design. However, the farmer does not wish anyone to know the exact location. The photographer mentioned that when flying over he noticed no entry paths, but no other info is forthcoming. It appeared on June 24.
Another formation appeared here in New Hampshire and was reported by the mother's daughter. Again, the parent was unwilling to share any information and the design is of unknown format.
I find it rather ironic that in a landmass as big as the United States there are so few crop circles, or at least there appears to be a real fear in reporting them. A Missouri MUFON representative told me a few weeks ago that last year there were a number of formations on Amish lands but they cut them down immediately, even fining anyone trying to photograph them $1500- the Amish claim they are the work of the devil!
A report from New York State last year claimed that a landowner was approached by a Highway Patrol officer who offered a large sum of money to the farmer to cut the formation down immediately. This situation has its parallel in Britain where farmers have been paid by the MOD to do the same (first Galaxy of 1994).
It is interesting that in a country whose farmers are not a visited as their British counterparts such negative reactions are the norm. With this kind of welcome mat in the States no wonder the CircleMakers are not keen to knock on our door.
Reported by Freddy Silva
