25kg - Solroskärnor

We are many who have previously paid to have sunflower shells in our gardens!

The shells typically make up about half the weight of regular sunflower seeds. Just think of the transportation we save when the shells stay in Bulgaria and are used as biofuel instead.

Whole or chopped sunflower seeds are an irresistible bird food for almost all birds except the yellowhammer. Greenfinches, hawfinches, great spotted woodpeckers, blackbirds, goldfinches, bullfinches, nuthatches, and all tits prefer sunflower seeds. Today, enormous amounts of imported sunflower seeds are being fed to birds. Before 1950, almost no one fed birds at all, yet there were significantly more of most bird species, both those that came to feeders and migratory birds.

Bird feeding is nice for us but not crucial for the birds. The least we can do, I believe, is to choose organic. Is it expensive? Set a budget for what you can afford and ration it out. Remember, you can feed much more abundantly with cheaper field seeds on the ground while still offering a bit of sunflower in the feeders.

For good, diverse feeding that suits everyone, you can offer whole or chopped sunflower seeds in bird feeders. Complement this by sprinkling field seeds from Lunden on the ground around the feeder to make the yellowhammers happy. Tree sparrows, house sparrows, crows, jays, pigeons, and others also like the field seeds on the ground. Make it even more interesting with small field seeds, which are especially loved by finches and chaffinches in spring.

Why are whole sunflower seeds more expensive than chopped ones – are they better?

They are more expensive to purchase. And yes, they can be considered slightly better.

1. They are the same seeds used in bakeries. They are very tasty to eat yourself. Roasted dry with a bit of salted brine at the end, they are a delicacy.
2. The shelf life is slightly longer for whole seeds (and whole seeds with shells).
3. They flow a bit more easily through narrow seed dispensers.

On the other hand, birds with delicate beaks, such as greenfinches, robins, long-tailed tits, blackcaps, tree sparrows, treecreepers, blackbirds, and other thrushes, prefer chopped seeds as they have smaller and weaker beaks. It is also true that there is more waste with whole sunflower seeds, as great tits and blue tits have to break them into smaller pieces to eat, often dropping bits.

The organic sunflower seeds we sell in bulk are food-grade when they arrive at our warehouse but are technically considered feed when they leave us.

Recipe for delicious roasted sunflower seeds, to eat yourself: You can dry roast them in the oven, about 150g, stirring occasionally until they taste good, pour over a brine, and let it soak in. Stir and let them possibly stay in the oven overnight on the lowest heat. Even tastier, in my opinion, is to fry/roast them with quite a bit of oil on low heat in a frying pan. The oil helps the heat transfer much more effectively. Stir almost constantly... a bit time-consuming. You can do this while you’re in the kitchen doing other things. Add chopped garlic just before they feel completely ready. Salt to taste. They become more of a side dish to meals as they are quite greasy. Easy to burn and some might get too scorched – but oh so delicious!

KRAV-certified

Our sunflower seeds are organically grown in Bulgaria and cause a transport emission equivalent to 0.61kWh/kg (0.17kg CO2 equivalent/kg) from the farm to our warehouse.
Read more about these calculations here.

Controlled to be free from Ambrosia seeds. Ambrosia or ragweed is an invasive weed we don’t want in Sweden. The seeds mainly come with American sunflower seeds.

Controlled cadmium content. Our supplier reports that they purchase from many different farms and often perform checks. The levels vary but are generally between 0.18 and 0.37mg/kg. The EU’s allowable limit for food is 0.5mg/kg.