Pine Cones Gone Wild

[so lucky]

Is everyone else getting a bumper crop of pinecones this year? I don't know enough about white pine habits, but we seem to have 3 times as many this year as in previous years. Maybe 4 times....
So.....Anyone have any good idea for a million pinecones?
Other than wreaths, firestarters, wild bird seed holders.
Pinecone Soup?
Pinecone Beauty Bar?
Pinecone Radial Tires?

 

[Pulsegleaner]

I suppose it depends on the nature of white pines and how mature the cones are. I know of a couple of products that are made of the immature cones of stone pines, but whether they can be adapted to white pines, I have no idea. But on the chance they are

1. Pine syrup. I've only ever tasted this once and have no clue how to make it http://www.deandeluca.com/pantry/honey-products/mugolio-pine-syrup.aspx. If I recall it tastes sort of like less sweet blueberry syrup.

2. Zirbenz aka, pine liquer http://www.astorwines.com/SearchResultsSingle.aspx?p=2&search=15058&searchtype=Contains. A specialty of some parts of Austria and the Alsace region of France (where I think they call it Burgon de Sapin) Again no clue how to make/distill it.

 

[Smart Red]

Pinecone TP?
I would think that if you wanted to spend the time shucking the scales off, they would make a good mulch for just about everything -- especially acid loving plants. Then, again, if you have a wood chipper, you might be able to grind them up. . . IF they are not too sappy. I've never done it.

 

[canesisters]

doll?

as a Christmas tree?

mulch?

to keep tresspassers away?

 

[Smart Red]

All great ideas, @canesisters.

 

[baymule]

Pinecone baseball?

 

[thistlebloom]

We've had a lot of cones from the lodgepoles this year.

I love white pines and their cones! I have a sort of a pine cone collection. I have sugar pine cones (longest cones around) and Coulter
(heaviest.) As well as a giant sequoia cone which is super tiny. Lots of other more ordinary one also.

I put them in a 200 degree oven for an hour which will make the sap melt and the petals shine. Not sticky when dry, and the house smells wonderful. They also make great mulch when run through the chipper.
If you have enough for mulching a bed you won't have cats using it for a litterbox.

I picked up a bucket of lodgepole cones just because they're so petite and cute. Not sure what I'm going to do with them.

 

[so lucky]

Hmm. I may have to try baking some. Right now they are so sticky they are kind of a pain to even work with.
I wish I had a chipper/shredder. Would make short work of them.

 

[baymule]

Harbor freight has one on sale! item #60599 for $359.99

I would buy one, but just got fence post auger plus 6" drill.