Every year around the end of September a few of us go to a pumpkin farm where they have a flat fee to fill your trunk with pumpkins. Seriously, as many as you can fit in the trunk of your car. Even after splitting it with one or two other families I still have roughly 30 pumpkins of all different sizes lining my front steps and porch. After carving a few for Halloween and putting smaller pumpkins on my mantle for Thanksgiving decorations, I STILL have more than a few left.
So, when I saw a pumpkin bird feeder how-to video created by Audubon.org online I thought it would be the perfect way to use up one or two more of my fall pumpkins. Whether you are just looking for a way to get rid of a pumpkin or you are looking for a fun fall activity for your family, give this bird feeder a try!
I linked the original video and directions above. Here is what we did:
Pumpkin Bird Feeder:
First, we chose a smaller pumpkin, one that wouldn’t be too heavy. I cut it in half and then let my kids scoop out all the seeds.
Next, I used bamboo skewers. I slowly and carefully twisted and pushed them through each side of the pumpkin to make perches for the birds. This part was a little difficult and needed some force.
Once the skewers were secure, we needed to add some twine/string to hang the pumpkin with. My daughters cut four pieces of some-what equal length and we tied them all together. In the video the instructions are to use a push-pin to secure the knot of twine to the bottom of the pumpkin. I didn’t have a pushpin, so I wrapped the twine a few times around the skewers. I made sure the twine came up each side of the pumpkin so it would hang evenly. Finally, I tied the four pieces of twine at the top.
That’s it! Now just add bird seed and hang! I hung mine off a shepherds hook, it was a little heavy and we have tons of squirrels in our yard. (Not that the squirrels can’t climb a shepherds hook, but it does last a little longer this way before they can gorge themselves like they’re Joey at Thanksgiving dinner and they’re wearing maternity pants.) Have fun bird watching!
Update: The pumpkin feeder is still up a week later, although covered in snow here in Chicagoland, and it is not showing any signs of rotting. Maybe it’s frozen, but it seems to be holding up well. We’ll see how it does once the snow eventually melts.
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