One of the many pleasures through the winter season, for me, is in watching the birds swing from the lard log as they eat and I wash dishes. I like variety and winter is just one more cycle to find hidden treasures within. I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed with the negativity regarding winter. It seems to be seamless. I was ruminating on this as I played guitar by the wood stove, dressed in a touque and neck tube trying to build a head of steam to brave the wind and get my outdoor chores done after breakfast. I don't desire for comfort to be consistent.
I like to make and hang
lard logs out for the wild birds in the winter. My main motivation to do this was to try and keep the downy and hairy woodpeckers out of my
oil seed hopper. Now we see others taking advantage of the hanging mix.
I feed a big hopper of the black sunflower seeds right outside the kitchen table window and woodpeckers make a wasteful mess of it. Because they can't crack the seeds, they flick seeds out of the feeder, holus bolus, while they search for kernels that have escaped their shells. I don't know what the ratio is, but ten thousand to one seems about right. So there tends to be refills from an 18 litre pail of seeds in very tight cycles as they unceremoniously dump seeds on the ground while scrounging for kernels.
I use lard and not shortening. Hopefully, for obvious reasons, but maybe not. Here it comes: Shortening is
trans fat. The body does not recognise it as food. If I won't eat it, I sure won't feed it to wildlife.
I think I've finally settled on a good balance of seed to lard in these things so I'll share. When I don't have enough seed incorporated, the log doesn't last a week and that's just not long enough. When I add too many adjuncts, the log gets too hard when it's frozen and the fight to get the calories becomes easier at the oil seed hopper, thus defeating the purpose.
The recipe can contain almost anything as an adjunct. I often add a couple of dollops of peanut butter if I'm feeling generous. I've used tame and wild bird seed too, but plain old black sunflower seeds and the ground grain I feed the layers makes up the majority of the mix. I use quite a bit of the chopped grains I feed to the layer flock, but most people won't have access to that so just make up the difference with whatever you think birds might find attractive. Use your imagination. I'm sure that dry fruit would add a nice touch for some of the birds. I'm interested in attracting a wider variety of birds so I'm beginning to mix it up a bit. I'd really like to have the evening grosbeaks back regularly. They add a lot of colour to the yard.
I save mesh citrus fruit and onion bags to hold the logs and tie a simple granny knot to hold it closed. Then I run a heavy, but malleable wire through and under the knot and then bend the top of the wire into a loop that provides a hanger. I use a step ladder to hang the log well out of the way of any cat access. I try and choose a relatively thin branch far from the trunk and as far up the tree as I can manage.
The additives go into a big bread bowl when I add the softened lard. Mixing this by hand is the best winter hand lotion going. Once it's well mixed, I roll it into a log and load it into the bag. Washing dishes with the birds for company is one more way I enjoy winter.
- Set 454 grams of lard out on the kitchen counter over night.
- Get you mesh bag out and roll it down so it will be easy to set the bottom of your soft log in the bottom of the bag.
- Soften the lard in the microwave for ten seconds or so.
- Toss 680 grams of seed into a big bowl
- Add the softened lard and mix thoroughly.
- In the bowl, form the mix into a log shape.
- Pick up the log and rest it lengthwise in your dominant hand and up your arm, while manipulating the mesh bag over your hand, arm and log.
- Remove your hand, tie the bag end and insert your wire hanger under the middle of the knot and you're ready to brave the ladder.
- Be careful out there. Ladders in the snow can be fun.
