Sunflower Treats for Birds!

We've been a little bit busy around here this fall, so we're a little bit behind schedule doing fall yard-and-garden clean up. As of this weekend, we've got most of the vegetable beds cleaned up and ready for their winter rest (with the exception of one bed which still has some hardy kale growing) and we've finally gotten around to cutting back all the rest of the perennial beds.

But what I really want to talk about today is Sunflowers! I LOVE my sunflowers. They are one of the first things we sow outside in the spring. We water and weed and watch and wait for them to sprout up, and for their sunny faces to reach toward the sky from mid summer into early fall. By mid fall, the blooms are all spent, and it's time to harvest the seeds. We harvest some seeds for our own use by wrapping some of the "mammoth" sunflower heads in cheesecloth and hanging them in the house to dry out. The cheesecloth is important, as it catches any seeds that might fall out as the flower heads dry. But we also always hang several of our sunflower heads outside along our back fence as a special treat for the birds. It's a cheap, easy way to feed our feathered friends. We love to watch all the birds who come around to feast on the seeds.

In addition to all of our yard clean up, we are also planning and preparing for my FAVORITE holiday... Thanksgiving! There will be several posts coming up on that topic, so stay tuned!