Archive for November 2008

Armchair birdwatchers know how relaxing it is to gaze out the window and find colorful, winged dinner guests feasting on seeds and nectar. A birdfeeder full of food can provide a show all day long during all four seasons. There are countless types of feeders available; each designed to hold specific foods that will attract specific species. Most fans of birdfeeders have several styles around their yards to attract an array of appreciative flying wildlife.

However, if you have squirrels in your neighborhood, you know how fast they can devour a feeder displaying seed or suet. There’s nothing more aggravating than having an unintended animal destroy the food or feeder you’ve worked so lovingly to provide for your feathered friends.

Squirrels and birds are attracted to many of the same foods—seeds, in particular. And the simple fact is that squirrels will eat bird seed faster than you can refill it. They can also ruin a feeder designed for animals a fraction of their weight. They’ll use their teeth to gnaw on anything that has the scent of food. So, what’s a birdwatcher to do?

You can’t blame squirrels for taking advantage of a quick and tempting source of food, but you can stop them from eating the birds’ meals. Luckily, man’s brain works faster than a squirrel’s, and now there are many successfully designed squirrel-proof birdfeeders to suit every backyard enthusiast’s needs.

Since feeders for birds are designed to hang from a post, a roof edge, or a tree limb, they are not out of reach of the crafty squirrels. Squirrels seem to enjoy the challenge of accessing food no matter where the feeder is suspended.

Look for squirrel-proof feeders that are specific to your needs. Make sure you find the type of feeder intended for the species of birds you wish to attract, first and foremost. Consider where you’ll place your feeder. You don’t want a heavy metal feeder hanging too closely to a window. You also don’t want a feeder intended for shade to hang fully exposed to the elements. Also, think about the population of squirrels in your area, to determine the durability required of your feeder. And the size of the feeder should be appropriate to the space you have available.

Some squirrel-proof feeders operate by spring-loaded doors, some by gravity alone, and others by physical barrier. Depending on the type of feed you intend to provide, there are also feeders that have openings so small that only the tiniest of beaks can gain access. The Mandarin Ala Cart Birdfeeder provides four separate feed chambers and a squirrel-proof function that will attract many species of birds while foiling the plans of hungry squirrels.

Until squirrels learn how to feed while suspended in air, their weight and size will keep them out of the newest squirrel-proof feeders, and birders will be able to choose who they wish to attract to the feast they’ve provided.

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All my jars of Mrs. Miller’s Jam arrived in tip-top condition! I’d made an inquiry about my order, and I received a prompt, courteous reply back from Tina, and she’d already solved and handled the problem. I got my jam today exactly as she promised. Impressive company…very impressive employee in Tina.

Haven’t tryed my jam yet, but that’s not really necessary. I received a jar of Mrs. Miller’s jam recently as a birthday gift…my order from you confirms that it’s absolutely JUST THE BEST JAM! Thanks so very much, R.L.

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If you have never tried it before, here’s a great new hobby idea: dehydrate your own food. If you’ve been dehydrating for years, you already know it’s a fun, economical and simple way to make healthy snacks that even the pickiest eaters will devour.

Using a food dehydrator, which forces warm, dry air over fruits, veggies or meat, you remove all the moisture and preserve the food, allowing it to be stored on a shelf for months. You can create chewy, flavorful, and in many cases, low-calorie, snacks like apple rings, beef jerky, dried apricots and papaya wedges. It’s also a great way to have soup vegetables always on hand.

Groceries and health food stores have been selling dehydrated, sun-dried or flash-dried foods for years, and dried foods have been popular since the beginning of recorded history. However, store-bought dried foods are expensive, and they can contain artificial preservatives to increase their shelf lives even further.

If you are a gardener, you know there’s always produce left at the end of the season that you can’t get your family to eat. Dehydrating leftovers is a way to have your harvest extend into the dull, gray winter months when you can’t get fresh veggies.

You can inexpensively make your own pineapple rings, homemade raisins and prunes, fruitcake chunks for rehydrating, and fruit leathers. You can also coat your fruits with sugar, cinnamon or other dried baking spices before drying to create more exotic flavors. You no longer have to crave your favorite fruits when they’re out of season. Make their season last year-round!

Dehydrating vegetables is as simple as slicing or dicing and separating on trays. In two days or less, your food dehydrator will produce crispy, crunchy snacks and pantry staples ready for your culinary imagination. Onions, carrots, bell peppers and celery can all be dried for future use in nearly any recipe. Dried corn cut off the cob, green beans, and tomatoes make unusual crisp snacks that are infinitely healthier than fried chips. You can dry your own pinto beans, root crops, squash and any other vegetables that you want to store for adding to casseroles and soups. Dried foods provide all the nutrients and fiber and none of the refined or artificial ingredients that come with store-bought snack foods.

Making your own beef or turkey jerky couldn’t be easier. If you can slice meat, you can have a great chewy (and long-lasting) snack that is irresistible. You can prepare the meat by soaking it in your favorite marinade first. Like it hot? Don’t hold back on the cayenne! Like it tropical? Try rubbing the slices with Jamaican jerk seasonings before drying.

Don’t forget your herbs. Air drying can cause mold or mildew to form on the tender leaves. Drying herbs in a dehydrator is safer and it also preserves the color and flavor better. Nearly every edible herb is suitable for drying.

Every bookstore and library, as well as the Internet, offers recipe books for creative drying of foods using the sun or commercial dehydrators. It’s easy and a foolproof way to get your family snacking on foods you’ll not only approve of, you’ll encourage!

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Watch the squirrel eat the corn off of the Squngee Deluxe squirrel feeder.

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I ordered some heirloom tomato plants from you and had some problems, could you help me out? I planted some of them in the garden and some in pots. I used a fertilizer from the nursery, not sure what is was. All of the plants grew to around 4’ high. When it got hot, they did not bloom and I hardly had any ripe tomatoes. I have a question about green tomatoes; I heard they were poisonous if they were not cooked?

Posted in Ask A Master Gardener | 3 Comments »

Watch how easy it is to use the Window Cafe Bird Feeder, our most popular window feeder.

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