Christmas tree birdfeeder

[tizziec]

My daughter and I just read a book about using the old dried out Christmas tree as a giant winter feeder by putting it out in the garden and decorating it with pine cone and peanut butter feeders and popcorn and berries and such. So of course that is the new plan for the tree LOL

I was just wondering if anyone had a recipe for bird friendly cookies and such we can ass to the mix? I remember hearing of one a longtime ago but I can't seem to remember enough to google it. Any other suggestions would be good too. i will probably do some suet/safflower pine cones just to keep the obese squirrels I already have at bay.

Once done i will be sure to put up lots of piccies of the winter garden party ;)

Oh and if anyone has any suggestions as to how to keep an 8 foot dead pine tree standing inteh garden I could use those ideas too HEHE

[KCFoggin]

I don't leave my standing. I lay it and several of my neighbors on their side. (They all know now where to bring their used Christmas trees) It acts as a wonderful shelter for the birds. I have not decorated mine either as I have 22 feeders out so I think they get enough although someone on my local listserv had started a trend of marshmallows on the edges of the bare branches of their trees now and the birds apparently seem to like them.

[tizziec]

I would not have thoght of marshmallows LOL I don't need more feeders either (I actually lost count) and i also have no loss of adequate shelter for the area. We usually just put our tree out for mulching then collect the mulchj and compost from the town to use inteh spring garden. We can still do that later, but my daughter loved the story so much i think I HAVE to make a tradition out of the Christmas tree feeder. It will be fun