The When, Where, What, Who, How and Why of Seedsox®
Seedsox® were developed in 1982 by Howard Godecke, an inventor and
entrepreneur whose upbringing in Nevada's Carson Valley—one of the most
scenic farming communities in the west—taught him a keen appreciation
of wildlife and all things natural. Howard had been feeding and protecting birds all his life, and became increasingly concerned about an imbalance among the visitors to the feeders in his own back yard. Starlings, grackles, cowbirds, magpies and other larger, more voracious species—"bully birds," Howard called them—were increasingly crowding out finches, chickadees and other timid songbirds who, let's face it, were a whole lot nicer to look at and listen to than their bigger, uglier and more raucous cousins. After a couple of snowy winters of experimentation, backed up by long hours of research and conversations with ornithologists around the country, Howard found a way to offer vital nutrition for small birds in a package that bully birds and other backyard undesirables could not monopolize. Seedsox® and the Songbird Survival Project were born. After he had determined that a hanging cloth "sock" filled with seed was best suited to the small beaks, nimble feet and all-around agility of small birds, and that small holes in the material delivered the contents with minimal waste, Howard turned his attention to color. Red, white and blue, green, yellow and orange in various shades turned Howard's back yard into Rainbow Central until the songbirds' verdict was in: bright, golden, sunshine yellow was the beaks-down favorite. Seed varieties were also extensively tested, and the demands of his feathered customers led Howard and Songbird to become one of the west's first bulk distributors of Nyjer® "thistle" seed, which isn't from a thistle at all but perhaps looks like it ought to be. What's important about the seed isn't its name so much as the simple fact that small birds love it and it does them a whole lot of good! In the fall of 2005, Howard's failing health and eyesight persuaded him to reluctantly retire. In December, he sold the rights to the Seedsox® concept, along with the Songbird inventory and distribution network, to another Carson Valley resident, Maria Rosario Leonard. Says Maria, "We intend to build on the wonderful traditions and commitment to bird welfare that Howard established with Songbird. We agree with him that a back yard without birds is like a garden without flowers. We provide our customers with a natural, safe and healthy way to attract their 'customers'—songbirds!—and keep them coming back. Feeding wild birds and watching them thrive truly is one of life's little pleasures." |
|
|
|
This page updated Tuesday, March 21, 2006 02:24 PM.
