Make Your Own Suet

I'd like to make suet for my backyard birds. Are there certain ingredients it should contain?

—K. Herber, Texline, Texas

George: Real suet is the fat that surrounds the beef kidney, but it isn't easy to find anymore. Most suet block manufacturers mix suet or lard with everything from sunflower seeds to peanuts to fruit when making bird treats. I use blocks of pure suet in my feeders and attract plenty of birds—especially woodpeckers. If pure suet isn't available, fat trimmings, lard and peanut butter are good substitutes. Just remember to include ingredients like these to provide protein and energy, which help birds survive.