A Holiday Treat For the Birds: Pinecone Feeders

An easy project for kids & parents

Materials:

    Several large pinecones
    String or ribbon
    Butter knife
    1 cup of peanut butter
    1 cup of suet, lard or vegetable shortening
    2½ cups of coarse cornmeal
    1 bag of birdseed divided
    ½ cup of raisins

It may make cleanup easier by laying newspapers
on the table beforehand.

1. Tie a length of string or ribbon around the base of
    the pinecones.
2. Mix together the peanut butter, suet (or lard or     vegetable shortening), cornmeal, a cup of
    birdseed and raisins in a bowl.
3. Using a butter knife, stuff the mixture into
    each pinecone.
4. Place additional birdseed in a shallow dish.
    Roll each pinecone in the birdseed.

Hang the pinecones at the end of a smaller branch
of a tree to deter squirrels from getting to it. Tree(s) that can be observed from a window indoors allows for children to watch the birds feeding.