Can you picture these hanging all around at your outdoor wedding reception? Maybe add some lemons and limes.
This is my daughter, Delaney, demonstrating how to make an Orange Peel Bird Feeder. She loves to stop dead in her tracks and listen when she hears the birds singing. We’ve even had to track down a few to identify them.
Scraping out the fruit can be a little messy.
But very tasty.
Choose big Navel oranges with a thick peel for the best results. Cut off the top 1/3 of the orange, and scrape out the fruit using a big spoon. We made 6 feeders at one time, so we made an orange smoothie once we were done. I’ve read that oranges not only strengthen our immune systems, but they help protect against cancer, and even help people with asthma and arthritis.
Poke 4 holes in the skin all at approximately 1 inch from the top.
Cut 2 pieces of twine (equal in length) approx 3’ to 4’ each.
Thread your twine.
Poke each piece of twine in one side, straight across, and out the other. Your twine pieces should cross in the center
Fill the orange peel with bird seed.
I must advise you to tie your twine ends in a knot before you fill it, so that your seed doesn’t spill; we learned the hard way. Now you can easily hang it on a branch at least 6’ from the ground keeping your orange level. We chose a bird seed that would attract song birds to our yard, but you can use whatever you have on hand.
It becomes a colorful surprise, and one that the squirrels don’t seem to bother.
Refill as many times as you can. Eventually it will fall to the earth and degrade.
Side note: If you place all of the orange peel tops into a mason jar and fill it with vinegar, in a week or two you can pour the liquid into a squirt bottle and you will have a great household cleaner. The orange peels help reduce the vinegar scent and aid in cleaning.
Written by Keri O’Hara from Delaney Jewelry Designs
