This week we had a go at making fat balls for the birds. Things however didn't quite go to plan! "Why?" You may ask! We tied string through the pots and melted the lard. After adding oats, bird seed and our very own sunflower seeds, we spooned the mixture into a pot and the molton lard immediately ran out of the bottom of course!!
We added more ingredients to make it a bit thicker, but in hindsight it would actually have been better to not punch holes in the pots for the string, but just use something like plasticine to attach it to the bottom.
At this point, we thought it would be a good idea to use the snow outside to cool the pots as the mixture was poured.
Once cooled a litte, we left the pots in the shed overnight to set. Next week, we'll cut the pots away and hopefully they will hold together well enough to hang up on the bird feeder!
Also this week, our new aprons arrived. We bought them with money raised at the Invermoriston Christmas Fayre - they donated their raffle money to us - thankyou so much!! They will help to keep us clean all year round. We also ordered a "Christmas Hamper" with the money which hasn't arrived yet - a basket with many vegetable seeds, trowel and fork and other equipment in.
Below, you can see our logo has been embroidered onto the aprons:
At this point, we thought it would be a good idea to use the snow outside to cool the pots as the mixture was poured.Once cooled a litte, we left the pots in the shed overnight to set. Next week, we'll cut the pots away and hopefully they will hold together well enough to hang up on the bird feeder!Also this week, our new aprons arrived. We bought them with money raised at the Invermoriston Christmas Fayre - they donated their raffle money to us - thankyou so much!! They will help to keep us clean all year round. We also ordered a "Christmas Hamper" with the money which hasn't arrived yet - a basket with many vegetable seeds, trowel and fork and other equipment in.
Below, you can see our logo has been embroidered onto the aprons:
I hope the fat balls work out ok.
ReplyDeleteIf not we may need to try again - using a different method. :)
Once they're hardened up, they should be satisfactory. And next batch you make, you might try some of that partially hydrogenated peanut butter ... the sort with chunks of nuts in it, Birds love the stuff, and considering what active lives they lead, I think the danger to their hearts from the hydrogenated fats will me minimal.
ReplyDeleteThose aprons are really elegant! Nice design work.
And I think you'll love the Christmas Hamper ...it sounds wonderful.
—der Wandersmann