Want to keep your neighbors happy? I’m talking about the birds that over-winter in your backyard.
With a long winter, we look for ways to keep the local song birds happy while the insects have descended and snow is covering seeds, berries and other edibles. As a Bed and Breakfast, one thing we often have on hand is citrus peels, oats and bacon grease. We also often have guests who enjoy watching birds, and we want to keep a healthy habitat in our garden and natural environment.
I love to find ways to utilize the by-products of our kitchen. Most of our fruits and veggies go straight to the chickens, as payment for their daily fresh eggs. The chickens, however, do not appreciate fruit peels. Rather than throw them away, I wanted to try using them as a vessel for bird food.
In the past, we have created tree ornaments that birds can eat by thinly slicing citrus, letting it dry, and stringing it from trees to provide birds with nutrients in the depth of winter. This year, I wanted to try something a little different.
After we make breakfast for our guests, there is usually some leftover bacon grease. (Of course, we take account for dietary needs, and many guests prefer vegetarian or religious observance options. That’s totally fine with us!) When we do have leftover bacon grease, it can sometimes be used for cooking but it isn’t something we use often enough to keep around on the counter.
Instead, I decided to absorb the grease in oats, mixing them and letting them congeal and set. I scooped them into the citrus peel cups, applied wire to create a hanger, and brought them right outside for the birds to enjoy.
Ingredients:
Orange or Grapefruit, cut in half with fruit scooped out
Oats (quick oats work well)
Bacon grease
Garden wire & cutters
We haven’t had any visits from the nearby bears, which would readily make a snack of the bacon-oat cups. We’ll keep you posted as we watch for bird (or bear!) activity!
-Carin McCarthy
