Greene County Conservation Naturalist Jacob Fernholz. Photo by Coltrane Carlson-Raccoon Valley Radio

It may be brutally cold outside, but there are some fun things to do indoors that are related to the outdoors.

Greene County Conservation Naturalist Jacob Fernholz says birds are hungry and need food all year around, but especially in the winter, so people can make bird feeders. He points out you don’t need to be a handyman to put together a bird feeder, as there are kits available in stores and online, or there are tutorials online that have step-by-step instructions.

Fernholz details another fun activity is making wildflower pollinator seed bombs. He tells Raccoon Valley Radio, these are basically seeds rolled into a mud pie.

“We’ve got great organizations like the (Greene County) Soil and Water Conservation District, as well as the (Greene County) Extension Office, ISU Extension Office here in town, they both have opportunities to maybe procure some seeds, either at really a cheap price or even free. Putting some of those seeds that are forbs and grasses that are not native plants,  and sprinkle them into that mud and roll it into a ball.” 

Fernholz recommends to either use soil from outside or pick up bags of soil from a store, add water to make mud and roll different types of seeds into it. Then when it gets warmer out in early spring, kids can throw their “seed bombs” into the yard, which will provide splashes of color and invite insects that help the overall environment.