Yesterday we bought an electric Hamilton Beach grill doodad. It's like the George Foreman (mine died) but the grid is 9" X 9". So when I decided to fry up some bacon, I thought, "Why not fry it in the HB? It has a slanted grid with a grease catcher." So that is what I did. Amazing the amount of grease we got. So we poured it in an empty juice can and then I got the idea to put birdseed in with it. Then I got the idea to make up a block like the suet blocks and put it in our suet feeder. So I found a Tupperware sandwich box and sure enough it was the right size. I lined it with Saran Wrap, dumped in the bacon grease, bird seeds and some leftover sunflower seed hearts and mixed it good. I put it in the garage to congeal. My little birdies will think they have a real treat. I'll take pictures in a few.

Now Esther I want to know how much they liked that cuz I can put some up on the end of our property where the cats can't go (they have those electric collars that won't allow them to pass over the underground wire w/o getting zapped). What a good inexpensive way to make those blocks. They are at least 99cents in the store

What a wonderful idea, Esther! I bet it is much tastier too. I bought one of those blocks in the store a couple of weeks ago but have not seen any birdies at it yet.

How are you going to put it out. I suppose I could cut it to fit in the grid part on my feeder that's meant for those blocks.

fishlipsmcgee wrote:What a wonderful idea, Esther! I bet it is much tastier too. I bought one of those blocks in the store a couple of weeks ago but have not seen any birdies at it yet.

How are you going to put it out. I suppose I could cut it to fit in the grid part on my feeder that's meant for those blocks.

I think she said she was going to pour it all into one of those tupperware sandwich squares lined w/ saran wrap and let it mold to that and then pull it out and put it in one of the wire cage thingy's that you are talking about. She said it was just the right size to fit. It should work just fine I would think.

As long as it stays below freezing, it will be fine.
When we have bacon I like to let the grease cool to the point of starting to get stiff and then I just carry the pan out to the tree and using a plastic spatula smear the grease on the trunk. We've been doing this for years in the winter with no harm to the tree. The woodpeckers like it and being on the trunk instead of in a feeder the starlings have a difficult time getting much of it

Freddie Peepers wrote:As long as it stays below freezing, it will be fine.
When we have bacon I like to let the grease cool to the point of starting to get stiff and then I just carry the pan out to the tree and using a plastic spatula smear the grease on the trunk. We've been doing this for years in the winter with no harm to the tree. The woodpeckers like it and being on the trunk instead of in a feeder the starlings have a difficult time getting much of it

Well there's a no fuss no muss idea..............wonder if the bacon grease will attract dogs, coyote's, cats or ?

I suppose it could attract varmints. I have never seen any come to our feeder tree other than the birds we are trying to attract. Suddenly this year deer have discovered our seed platforms so I am a little concerned about what is going to happen in the spring when there is all that tender new growth from the perennials in our yard.

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Esther, you are such a SMART cookie!!

Man, if I were to do that around here with all the birds, squirrells, 'coons, bunnies, and whatever else we have, I would be in TROUBLE!! They would all really get fat and sassy! Not to mention, that would attract lots of outdoor cats from our neighbors. I already tell people we are "guilty of contributing to the obesity of our squirrells"!

I don't think I have a container the size of my suet grid. There is one attached to each end of my feeder. It was even difficult to get the little block that I bought in the store in there. I think I will save that and use it to make my homemade suet blocks thanks to the ingenious Esther. :[IMG]encore006

That is too cool Esther :[IMG]http://i2