It’s November and was only 27° this morning so I started to feed the birds. I had made up some suet about a month ago and kept it in the freezer to use this winter. The birds seem to like my homemade suet much better than the store bought kind.
Although we don’t eat much bacon, I save the grease in a can in the fridge to use for making suet. When I have a full can, I add it to store bought fat (beef usually) and melt it on low heat. Then I add peanut butter, and whatever else I have to bind it together – such as old bread, cornmeal, crackers, cereal, etc.
I’ve found that using a disposable tin pan is best, since clean up can be a chore, and a nice square or rectangular one is perfect for cutting the suet (once it’s cold) into the right size for my feeders.
I don’t add seeds of any kind to my suet as it is intended mainly for woodpeckers. I put out plenty of sunflower and thistle seeds for the seed eating birds so I don’t waste it in the suet.
A tail prop feeder works best for woodpeckers since they use their tails for balance. Also the upside down suet feeders are good for keeping the squirrels from chowing down.
New England's Narrow Road 