I would like any recipes actually, but especially a non-melting one. Also; Should I still be putting suet out? Does it go rancid during the summer heat?
non-melting suet recipe needed
That's a great question, Michele -- I had the same question, since our suet was getting pretty darned skanky come early June and I have not had any out since! I found a promising one on a birding forum. This was written by Carl Cole on About.com ...
NO Melt Suet
http://birding.about.com/hobbies/birding/library/blrecipe10.htm
A recipe I use in the summer, does not melt, and the birds seem to love it;
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 cup suet or lard
2 cups "quick cook" oats, (I'm sure any will do)
2 cups cornmeal
1 cup white flour
Melt lard & peanut butter.Stir in other ingredients. If it seems runny, add more flour. Fill small plastic margarine containers about 1/2 full, then freeze. Remove from container; wrap, keep in freezer.(Or use any method you like!) This suet is nice when weather is warmer.
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I would like to try this one!
:o) Kimberley
I have a friend in the Audubon Society and she feeds something called Miracle Meal. She feeds year round. Even the blue birds will come and feed their babies this.
4 cups plain cornmeal
1 cup lard
1 cup sunflower chips
1 cup plain flour
Mix together the flour and cornmeal, add sunflower chips, mix in lard. A half cup of raisins, peanut butter or coconut may be added depending on which birds you want to attract. Blue birds, nuthatches and titmice like raisins. I buy the mixed berries and nuts in the bag at Wal-Mart and add a cup of this. This will be crumbly so you feed it in flat feeders. She puts out only what they eat each day. She uses an empty hanging basket (ones with dirt in them, but no plants) It's a good use for left-over hanging baskets. She sometimes puts a plastic plate on top of the soil in the baskets, but the birds don't seem to mind dirt. I've been to her house and her back yard is full of birds. They fight to get this stuff. Everything was bringing it's young to get this. I use it, but keep forgetting to refill the feeders!! I store mine in the fridge, but if you expect to use it in a day or two, it will keep at room temp.
Cala
I've often wondered about that too,melting suet' What a mess'Now I just feed in winter and stop feeding in spring so the birds can start their natural habit of foraging' Don't want them to become totally dependant on me' Plus they keep the mosquitos,hoppers and all insects off our flowers and garden' We are also asking those that still use the "Bug Zappers" to stop,it kills so many good insects and we need them''' Sis'' Oh, also, in spring,I fill my suet feeders with the white filler I use in pillow making,so they have nesting material' They love harvesting it''
Sis
Dryer lint is good to put out too. They also like hair from your brush or pet hair. I buy orange suet at the Home Depot for my wood peckers. it doesn't melt or go bad. I let the feeders go empty at leaste one day a week so they will hunt for their food.
Cala
I have never had very good luck Wintering over my ferns in the hanging baskets and they take forever to compost so I now leave them up for birds to nest in and they do.
I love these recipes, It is soo much cheaper to make your own suet than to buy it. Thanks sooo much, keep them coming.