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Index of Subjects --f46d04447f11d056fa04b3cfa6fd Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 I've used the "Zick dough" recipe, and the birds really seem to prefer it over the store-bought suet (aside from one peanut butter suet dough I've gotten at walmart in the USA). They go through the cakes (or crumbs) I put out pretty quickly. You can see the recipe by following this link: http://juliezickefoose.blogspot.com/2010/03/zick-dough-improved.html I've used the "Old Zick Dough" recipe, but if you read that blog post you'll see that there may be reason to use the newer recipe that includes chick feed. I haven't had any birds that seemed to eat the suet exclusively, as she had with bluebirds, so I don't think I'm risking the birds' health. I rarely keep enough of it out consistently for the birds to only eat the suet, and I certainly don't have any bluebirds. The Old Zick Dough does harden enough to form into cakes and put in a suet cage once it cools (easier when it is cold, not room temp). I forgot to add flour in my last batch and that is a bit more crumbly. I used to melt down real beef suet that I got from a butcher and add peanut butter and seeds, but it really stinks up the house and is smokey. The zick dough uses lard instead of beef suet, and makes the house smell like peanut butter cookies. My wife certainly appreciates that more. Jeff MacLeod On Fri, Dec 9, 2011 at 2:56 AM, <turtlevoice@ns.sympatico.ca> wrote: > > The log feeders make nice Christmas gifts, especially pretty if white > birch is used. > > After boring the holes for suet mix, you can add a couple of perches made > from bamboo skewers. > > The suet mixture can be frozen in 500 ml tubs and given along with the > recipe. > > A project like this is great for grandchildren and encourages young > birders. I like the recycling aspects too. > > Gloria > > > > On Thursday, December 8, 2011 7:48 PM, Bob McDonald < > bobathome@hfx.eastlink.ca> wrote: > > Hi All, > > > > Here's my offering to the birds during winter (not really a recipe since > no > > measurements are made!): > > > > We have made friends with the butcher at the local Sobey's store and he > will > > give us beef fat trimmings at no charge (I've heard that some places > > actually charge for this stuff!). We have to arrive just after lunch > since > > they throw it all out around mid-afternoon. > > I chop it up into small chunks and heat at full power in the microwave > for 5 > > min. I pour off any liquid generated and repeat the procedure until > little > > additional oil is produced. By this time, it's a bit smelly and so I put > > the residue into the garage. > > I collect the oil in a large plastic container (1-2 L size) and toss in a > > few spoonfuls each of peanut butter (organic or not; the birds don't > seem to > > care), corn meal, sunflower or other seeds, oatmeal and millet. I put > the > > mixture out into the garage to cool and stir it up once in a while to > make > > it as homogeneous as possible. When solid, it has to be stored in the > > fridge or it will go off. > > I have half a dozen logs into which I've bored a number of 1 inch holes > > about 1-1.5 inch deep. I fill the holes with the mixture and hang them > up > > at various spots in the yard. Of course, woodpeckers and nuthatches are > > particularly attracted by this mix but chickadees and the occasional > > overwintering warbler (Pine, Orange-crowned or Yellow-rumped) will also > > partake. > > Before the mixture has solidified, it can also be used to fill the > plastic > > containers that the commercial bird suet mixtures come in. > > Hope this helps. > > > > Bob McDonald, > > Halifax > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: <duartess@ns.sympatico.ca> > > To: "Naturelist" <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca> > > Sent: Monday, December 05, 2011 10:44 AM > > Subject: [NatureNS] Homemade Suet Cake Recipes > > > > > > > Hello All, > > > > > > I have misplaced the homemade suet cake recipes that I had, that folks > > > have shared on this list from previous years. > > > > > > Was wondering if there are some who wouldn't mind sharing these > recipes > > > again and the most successful ways they have found to offer the suet. > > > > > > Thank you in advance. > > > > > > Sincerely, > > > > > > Gayle MacLean > > > Dartmouth > > > > > -- Jeff MacLeod Halifax --f46d04447f11d056fa04b3cfa6fd Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <div>I've used the "Zick dough" recipe, and the birds really = seem to prefer it over the store-bought suet (aside from one peanut butter = suet dough I've gotten at walmart in the USA). They go through the cake= s (or crumbs) I put out pretty quickly. You can see the recipe by following= this link:</div> <div><a href=3D"http://juliezickefoose.blogspot.com/2010/03/zick-dough-impr= oved.html">http://juliezickefoose.blogspot.com/2010/03/zick-dough-improved.= html</a></div><div><br></div><div>I've used the "Old Zick Dough&qu= ot; recipe, but if you read that blog post you'll see that there may be= reason to use the newer recipe that includes chick feed. I haven't had= any birds that seemed to eat the suet exclusively, as she had with bluebir= ds, so I don't think I'm risking the birds' health. I rarely ke= ep enough of it out consistently for the birds to only eat the suet, and I = certainly don't have any bluebirds.</div> <div><br></div><div><div>The Old Zick Dough does harden enough to form into= cakes and put in a suet cage once it cools (easier when it is cold, not ro= om temp). I forgot to add flour in my last batch and that is a bit more cru= mbly.=A0</div> </div><div><br></div><div>I used to melt down real beef suet that I got fro= m a butcher and add peanut butter and seeds, but it really stinks up the ho= use and is smokey. The zick dough uses lard instead of beef suet, and makes= the house smell like peanut butter cookies. My wife certainly appreciates = that more.=A0</div> <div><br></div><div>Jeff MacLeod</div><div><br></div><br><br><div class=3D"= gmail_quote">On Fri, Dec 9, 2011 at 2:56 AM, <span dir=3D"ltr"><<a href= =3D"mailto:turtlevoice@ns.sympatico.ca">turtlevoice@ns.sympatico.ca</a>&a