Once again, it’s time for us to take a moment and appreciate our mother Earth. As usual, we’re going to discuss one small thing you can do to make a difference.
During our stays at home, you may have started to notice a few new things about your own backyard. For example, the birds! They wake us up in the morning with their wonderful little songs and bring spots of color to our day. Birds can also reduce pesky bug populations, and are just plain adorable to watch.
In order to help out our fine feathered friends, let’s make a bird feeder! It’s much easier than it sounds. All you need is a pinecone, some string, peanut butter, and bird seed. Bird seed and sturdy string can be found at your local craft, hardware, or pet store. For the pinecone, consider taking a fun nature walk with family or friends!
Pinecone bird feeders, aside from being a fun activity, are also biodegradable! This means they will break down naturally over time once they’ve fallen off the string. Using hemp sting or jute twine becomes especially important here, especially if you want your feeder to be 100% eco-friendly and maintenance-free.
To make the bird feeder, start by laying a healthy amount of bird seed on a plate (makes the rolling easier) and tie a length of string to the top end of the pinecone. Using a butter knife, take your pinecone and lather on that peanut butter. Be sure to lay down some paper towels for the kids! This part can get messy. Try to get as much peanut butter as you can on the pinecone. That way, when you are ready to roll it through the birdseed on the plate, they will stick well. After your pinecone is coated with peanut butter and seed, it’s ready for the birds!
Hang your new bird feeder outside on the tree branch that you can easily reach and observe. After a while, the birds will stop by to appreciate your new gift!
It’s important to remember, we have to give back to our local ecological communities too. More than ever, the natural world needs our help just to survive. The easiest way? Start in your own backyard!
