[NatureNS] Sunflower seeds

Date: Sun, 24 Feb 2008 12:40:23 -0400
From: "Margaret E.Millard" <mmillard@eastlink.ca>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
References: <20080224121504.djcywnuen02sws44@my4.dal.ca>
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that fits with what I have found over the years. Old seed does loose its 
goodness, same as the seeds we buy to eat. Birds aren't stupid, unlike a lot 
of people. They need to get energy and know where to find it. Moulds I worry 
about. I try to ensure we are  buying  fresh well dried seed, ie grown in 
the year served up, and that seems to work.
I  used to grow my own sunflowers and save the heads to hang out but then 
critters found them and we had a terrible, terrible mess.
I got this year's supply of sunflower seed (black oil) at Co-op, when Shur 
Gain had completely run out, it still had bits of green mixed in with the 
seeds,  and I can't keep my feeders full. We poured the 2 x 50 lb bags into 
a big garbage can for storage and, unusually, we didn't keep the bags so I 
don't know where they came from. We will run the supply right out and then 
get more. I find starter plants (also millets) all over the property in the 
summer months so the seed is viable and not too old. Between the Bluejays 
and the chipmunks (and squirrels).......some I let come along and most get 
mowed.
I wonder about all this genetically altered stuff, does it even produce a 
viable seed? if yes, is the seed of any use to the creatures would try to 
live on it (beside us) ?
Marg Millard, White Point, Queens

http://margmillard.ca
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <iamclar@dal.ca>
To: <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Sent: Sunday, February 24, 2008 12:15 PM
Subject: [NatureNS] Sunflower seeds


> All:
>
> I hesitate to add to this discussion given the lack of any controlled 
> experiment
> on the issue, but I did note last year that my black sunflower seeds that 
> had
> been kept over from a previous year, and possibly two, were not much used 
> by
> visitng birds until I replaced then with fresh stock.  I don't know why 
> they
> were rejected - no evident mould, e.g. - but maybe they had lost volatile
> lipids or become a little rancid.
>
> I wonder if suppliers/dealers sometimes market old stock. I don't like the 
> wide
> over-application of pesticdes, but everything I have read suggests that
> Roubndup and the like are unlikely to be detected by or hazardous to
> seed-eating birds.
>
> Cheers, Ian McLaren
> 

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