Finally got my eldest ' s intended out in the woods. He cuts like a city boy, but he's not afraid of work. A little background. About this time last year my daughter awakened me at midnight calling to see if she and her.young man could borrow some wood. Of course they waited till 2;30 am to come get it. I was less than impressed. Later I did offer to cut and share with him out at Pop's woods. He showed no interest, so I decided they'd had enough of my help. Finally, yesterday he did show some interest, so we met late this morning and headed up to the woods. Interestingly, an ash widowmaker I'd been avoiding had done itself in and taken a lovely completely dead oak with it. We filled my shortbed s 10 and a 5x8 lawnmower trailer, and still had a bunch left in the woods. I was finally impressed with the boy's work ethic, and I think he might ve been suitably impressed with how a well maintained 290 and a fresh full chisel chain slice through ash. Hope springs eternal.
Pfft. Don't get your hopes up! He probably intends to burn it this year, am I right? You have a long road to how with him........ (Good job and now you may have a helper)
When they show the "will", strike while the iron is hot. He could be the Pa Pa to your grandkids. Glad you didn't give up on him. Sounds like he is looking to you for some help/advise. That is a good thing. Lots of folks here who had city backgrounds and have liberated themselves from it.
I resemble that remark! Nothing wrong with being a city boy if you are willing to learn and have a good work ethic, same as being a country boy. We only know what we have been exposed to. First time I picked up a chainsaw was Dec 2013, when I started burning green wood in the Allnighter installed in the country home I had just bought. Today, I have baffles in my Allnighter, 5 cords of seasoned cordwood in the shed, another 6-7 cords outside, and most of that was split by hand. A 30-NC in the garage awaits installation. If he has the right attitude, he will come around. Greg
A lot of children today grow up having everything handed to them and have no idea how to do anything. At some point they may find themselves faced with not knowing something and needing to know it. I grew up working and thus I learned more things from Mum and Dad than I could hope to list.
I agree - sounds like youth - perhaps he's maturing and figuring out how to do things right - be a good role model for him and hope he learns from your example - can't do much more than that - good luck! My daughter is 9, so I'm lucky to have many more years of non-boyfriend bliss.......Cheers!
BTW, there are slackers and workers in every generation. I am old enough (barely) to have a grandchild, and remember when my generation was being looked down upon. Now my generation bad talks the youger generation. Of course the details are different, but the story is the same. Greg
My kids worked all through their teens. Very independent bunch. My daughters know how to use hand tools, can install a toilet, put new floors in, etc. One of them married a man who couldn't hold a hammer or paint brush correctly. Worse yet, he didn't want do. Even cutting the grass was a burden for him. He is out of the picture now. It was difficult watching them when the most he offered was lip.
Yeah, my daughter was 9, well a couple of years ago. Next week she turns 30. Funny how that happens. Greg
Using a poorly maintained 290 and a dull chain, painfully slow! LOL. Hey, at least he did bring his own saw!
I guess growing up in different places has a lot to do with why someone wouldn't know how to do something. Work ethic not so sure about that. My brother in law grew up in the city clueless about farm work. Work ethic he works like no other if you teach him I grew up working on a farm it's natural to me. He grew up doing different work carpentry/ masonry. He couldn't stack a wagon of hay straight if he had to nor could I build a straight wall.
Having lived my entire life in central Ct with more family in Boston I have extensive expierience with city boys. If he owns a chainsaw, burns wood, willing to work for it he's automatically ejected from the city boy list. You may have no idea how lucky you really are. I feel your pain but trust me, it could be a lot worse. Sounds like he needs guidance not a full lobotomy.
He actually does have a nice start out in the woodshed. I gotta give him credit for imp rovement there.
