Like most everything else the price point in the stores in regards to Seed/Fruit Suet Balls for the bird feeder was eye popping.  Thankfully making your own is not hard to do.

I took 10 cups of locally grown Bird Mix of BOSS (Black Oil Sunflower Seeds), Brown and White Millet, Cracked Corn and Whole wheat blend and to it I added in half a pint of my locally grown and processed lard.  I wanted to add some kind of extra binder to this mix because it needed to take the shape of the ball and hold it, unlike when I make the suet cakes, they just need to be pressed in and it’s good to go.  I went to dried fruit or veggie powder, you can use whatever kind you want in this.

In my case I went with High Bush Cranberry’s, because I tend to use my stream juicer, I am left with pulp and skins and stones that can be ground down and made into a paste and then dried for long term storage. This was perfect to add into the mix, I added in a cup of it to the blend. The birds certainly do not seem to mind at all.

Then I grabbed my largest Bath Bomb kit the 2 and qaurter inches size and voila! They were pressed into balls, allowed to chill in the fridge for half a hour and out they went into the bird feeder. I was correct that this size is the standard for the feeders sold in stores.  

I am going to enjoy making more at a fraction of the price and I am sure my wild birds will be as well.