Jake showing us his method
February 8, 2013
Yesterday we finished tapping our maple trees for this season. We learned a lot from last year and even since last year. Jake took on the role of the guy who puts the bags on the spiles. I was the drill man while my cousin and my hired man drove the spiles carefully into the trees.
The hardest job, in my opinion, was that of putting the bags on the spiles. There is a nylon washer that goes on the spile. The washer keeps the bags held in place. The bags don’t fall off the spile because the washer holds them on, like a button on a shirt.
My big old fingers struggle sometimes with buttons. I didn’t fare too well putting the bags on either. Jake, however, devised or rather perfected, a system where he popped those bags on with ease. He kept up with the three of us, almost pushing the drill man (me). He put almost 900 bags on the spiles and only has two small blisters to show for it.
Yesterday, we had only a small number of trees to do. My oldest son and his family helped. Josh, my son, struggled with the bags much like I did. I tried to show him, but was not very successful. Then, along came Jake, he showed us all how to push the washer just right, roll the bag and “bam” the bag was on!
At the end of the day, Josh was getting along pretty good using Jake’s method. I, however, am still not good at it, but I’m a heck of a drill man š® I did try a bag or two now and then, just to make sure that I wasn’t good at it. It baffles me some, usually I am a quick learner, but in this case I would need to practice for quite a while to equal Jake.
It’s funny to me that folks can take old dogs and teach them new tricks. I guess its patience on the part of the trainer and a willingness to learn on the part of the dog. I am sure that those factors spell success. I know that I am not too old to learn, maybe just a bit resistant. I bet it all comes down to the proper treats! š®
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