Oh, my! What great fun I had with one of this week's creative opportunities!
As you know, I volunteer at the zoo. Did you also know the Wildlife Safari Park is part of the zoo community? So I get to volunteer there, as well!
This past Saturday, the park celebrated Members' Day, the one-year anniversary of the opening of the Darrald Harsh Wildlife Education Center, and being voted the top Safari Park in the country by USA Today. What a wonderful location for kids of all ages to learn about North American wildlife.
Anyway, as part of the celebration, the education team, Caitlyn, Jennifer, and Pam, put together a variety of projects for visitors. Then several volunteers came in to assist, enjoy, and teach at the activity stations.
I had the good fortune to play with the mud and make seed bombs!
"How do you make a seed bomb?" you ask.
Well... let me sum up...
You need a bit of clay and a bit of compost/soil and some seeds and a portion of water. Whatever seeds you have gathered or bought or have on hand. From your favorite ornamental grass to milkweed to marigolds... you get to pick the seeds. We used Blaze Little Bluestem, the Nebraska state grass.
We made our seed bombs by mixing a bit of native clay with a bit of bagged topsoil (about a one-to-one ratio)... and we added enough water to moisten the mixture. The clay holds the ball together and the soil adds substance.
You take two little goops of the clay mixture and make two wee patties (about the size of a girl scout cookie).
On top of one patty put a pinch of seeds. Then put the other patty on top... making a wee mud and seed sandwich. You take the wee sandwich and roll it around in your hands until you have a ball. Set aside the balls for a day or so until they dry. Once dried, the balls will generally keep for several months.
"What do I do with a seed bomb?" you wonder.
Well... now you have the dried seed bombs, during the rainy part of the year, you can toss them onto bare patches of earth. Toss them when you walk or on bicycle rides or in your own backyard. They make wonderful springtime gifts for holidays or birthdays or just because.
The seed-filled ball may break open, or may slowly melt in the rain. Either way, the soil provides nutrients to the sprouting seeds as they take root.
We had hundreds of people come to the event, to make seed bombs, to partake in activities, ask questions, and chat. So much fun! So many seed bombs now making their way across the states to beautify the countryside.
Hmmm... I wonder where I'll toss mine?
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