Escocotar

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jabejuventus

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For the second time in a week I witnessed coconut tree climbing out back of my apartment. The first time I didn't see the climbs up or down (don't ask why not the climb down) what was able to yell out some questions. This second time I saw the climbs but did not bother w/questions.

A machete toting climber ties a rope around his waist and proceeds to walk up the tree grabbing on with his hands and turning for leverage when the tree slants to the ground in a different direction. When he identifies a branch w/a bunch of cocos, he ties the rope around the branch, chops it off, and carefully lowers the bunch downbefore climbing down himself.

While asking questions the first time the climber explained that they don't let the cocos just fall because from such an altitude (royal palm trees?????) they would break open. All of a sudden I understood the etymology of esCOCOtar.;)

I understand that every part of the coconut is used. Anyone care to add.
 
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Chip

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I have heard a similar term "cocotazo" which means a hit to the head. There is also codazo, etc basically adding "azo" to the end of a noun to convert it into a hit with said object.
 
D

dv8

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our coquero (spelling?) also climbs the trees without using a rope. his movements are very much money-like, very smooth and swift. he "walks" up using his feet while holding the tree with both hands. amazing strength.
 
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jabejuventus

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JDJones said:
My coconut guy says ropes are for wusses. I've watched him climb a 50-60 ft tree a hundred times, and I still think he's going to fall.

He literally looks like he's walking up the tree. I won't even mention once he's at the top, and trims the tree. Scares the bejesus out of me.
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He didn't use the rope to climb; rather, he used it to slowly drop the bunch of cocos. Don't see him as a wussy or any rhyme w/a p. You didn't read my post carefully.
 
Xavier_Onassis

Xavier_Onassis

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I have seen a lot of windfall coconuts, but I never have seen one split open. They do tend to bounce when they fall from a height. Also, they roll about. It is probably wise to lower them down in a bunch.
 
D

dv8

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Harleysrock said:
Just had our guys go up yesterday, it is really cool to watch!
I couldn't believe it the first time I saw someone run up the Palm so easily! I love watching the young kids in our barrio copy their dads, brothers etc and go up the Dwarf palms! SO CUTE!
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the other day i asked our maid if as a kid she could climb the coconut palm. she looked at me like i was crazy :) i thought that maybe all kids do it here, just like back home kids (at least of my generation) climb fruit trees.
 
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Criss Colon

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When I lived in Thailand, they train monkeys to climb Coconut tress and twist the "nuts" until they fall to the ground.
They usually work in the coconut plantations, but they sometimes come through the neighborhoods on weekends and pick people coconuts to make a "Few Bananas"!
We use Dominicans here because they work cheaper!
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frank recktenwald

frank recktenwald

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Derfish said:
Where I lived in Panama there was a family of monkeys and they'd bite into the coconuts while still on the tree and growing, then reach in and eat all they could reach. Within a few days the coco would fall and one could see where it had been damaged.
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Fish, in the 12 years that I lived there I've seen a lot of squirrels do that but never monkeys. It's not part of their diet, they might eat it when offered but they don't go up palm trees.
It's too much work for them ;)
 
frank recktenwald

frank recktenwald

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Criss Colon said:
When I lived in Thailand, they train monkeys to climb Coconut tress and twist the "nuts" until they fall to the ground.
They usually work in the coconut plantations, but they sometimes come through the neighborhoods on weekends and pick people coconuts to make a "Few Bananas"!
We use Dominicans here because they work cheaper!
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
Click to expand...

The only ones I see going up the trees here are Haitians and yes they're a lot cheaper :bunny:
 
Xavier_Onassis

Xavier_Onassis

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Criss Colon said:
When I lived in Thailand, they train monkeys to climb Coconut tress and twist the "nuts" until they fall to the ground.
They usually work in the coconut plantations, but they sometimes come through the neighborhoods on weekends and pick people coconuts to make a "Few Bananas"!
We use Dominicans here because they work cheaper!
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
Click to expand...

There is a shortage of monkeys as well.
 
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Criss Colon

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I had one "SQUEEZE" me so hard it HURT!
But it was a "GOOD HURT"!!!
"BB" can now post "James Thurgood",..."It Hurts SO GOOD"!!!!!!
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Xavier_Onassis

Xavier_Onassis

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I have difficulty imagining that a monkey has sharp enough teeth to bite into a coconut.

I would have to see this to believe it.

Coconuts are really tough. Monkeys do not carry machetes.
 
Harleysrock

Harleysrock

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Xavier_Onassis said:
I have difficulty imagining that a monkey has sharp enough teeth to bite into a coconut.

I would have to see this to believe it.

Coconuts are really tough. Monkeys do not carry machetes.
Click to expand...

I just saw this 2 days ago on the amazing race, the clues were hidden in coconuts and the monkeys had to bite through them to get the clue. Seemed like they did it a lot.
 
Xavier_Onassis

Xavier_Onassis

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How did they get the clue inside the coconut?

I am surprised at what mice and rats can do with their tiny teeth. I admit that my experience at watching monkeys gnaw is limited. But it does seem to be a formidable job, especially in the case of coconuts not previously opened to stuff clues in them.
 
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