Something we’ve often discussed here in the office at Vine House Farm, is the extent to which many of our customers share our passion for feeding wild birds. When Nicholas first started feeding the birds on our farm back in 1992, it was very much motivated by the huge drop in numbers of once common species such as tree sparrow. Of course many people also feed the birds in their garden with at least partly that thought in mind, but there’s no question that the main reason for doing so is the sheer enjoyment the spectacle brings and the way it enhances our lives.

Feeding the birds in our gardens brings us closer to nature; it allows us to see a huge range of bird species up-close in a way it would be hard to otherwise do; we witness all sorts of behaviours, which in turn increases our knowledge of the natural world. And on a cold and wet morning in February when we’re feeling a little down because of the pressures and challenges life has thrown at us, the sight of blue tits, siskins, goldfinches and an ever-bold robin just outside the kitchen window, lifts our mood and brings a smile back to our face.

But just how far would you go to ensure that you were still able to feed the birds in your garden each day? For example, financial pressures such as raising a family, teenagers going off to university, retiring and finding the pension doesn’t go quite as far as expected, or even losing your job, will all mean that buying a sack of sunflower hearts to keep your garden birds fed might suddenly seem like a luxury expense.

We’d love to hear from you on this subject, so please comment on our Facebook page for this post.