Don’t I need to buy my bird seed in small quantities to assure that I am purchasing “fresh” seed?
. No. There is a saying in the Bird Seed Industry that “Seed is only as fresh as the most recent harvest”. Most bird seed ingredients are harvested at about the same time, and only once per year, so the key factor in keeping seed bug-free and mold-free is to make certain it is handled properly from harvest to your house, and then proper storage and handling once you get the seed home. Bird seed (like many other natural seed and grain products) commonly contains insect eggs when harvested. Eggs in seed can certainly hatch into larvae which in time will grow into insects. Two things effect the hatching time: The Age of the Seed and Temperature: • Age of the Seed: Seed harvested in 2010 will typically be harvested in September & October and generally available for purchase by the consumer at the end of October or after November 1st. Large, economical quantities of seed are best purchased after November 1st, 2010, purchasing seed from the most recent harvest, and then taking care to store
