There’s really no recipe, but I thought I would share how to make bird seed pine cones.  First, I started bird watching and feeding my backyard birds years ago.  It is a hobby that I have come to love, and I am thoroughly enjoying it.  In order to keep birds in view, you must negotiate their stay.  I reached an agreement with them by making  bird seed pine cones.  The birds are loving them.  They literally pick the pine cones clean.  The bird seed pine cones are easy and fun to make with kids. 

Next, pick a day to gather pine cones with the kids.  You can gather them from your neighbor’s yard, a park or your backyard. If neither of you have pine trees, locate an area where you can gather a few without trespassing.  A grove of pines will provide plenty.  I use a medium or large pinecone.  The larger the pine cone the more birdseed it will hold.

How to make Bird Seed Pine Cones

You will also need the following items:

• Suet/Crisco  (You can purchase suet from you local grocery store.  I’ve purchased both beef and pork). Otherwise; purchase a small can of Crisco.
• twine or yarn (You can purchase twine from the Dollar General)
• birdseed  (You can purchase seed from the Dollar General)
• a paper plate
• plastic knife
• plastic spoon

• Melt the suet on low.  Allow it to harden enough to make it spreadable.  If you’re using Crisco, you can skip this step.
• Tie a piece of twine around the bottom of the pine cone (the largest end).  You will use it to tie the pinecone on the tree branch or a hook.  So, leave the ends long enough to tie together.
• Use your plastic knife to spread the Suet/Crisco over the pine cone.  Try to get the fat in the crevices and cover as much of the pine cone as you can.  (That can be messy if your kids are making the pine cones.  Spread out newspaper).
• Pour the bird seed into a large bowl.  Roll the pine cone in the bird seed.  You can use the spoon to pack the bird seed onto the pine cone as well.