Birdseed Bell

Materials Needed: 6 Mc Donald’s coffee cups (12 oz.)* 3 dowels (3/8” x 6 1/2 “ wide) 3 pieces of rope (1/8” x 24” long) 1 lb. of suet 1/2 c. peanut butter, plus extra 1/2 c. corn meal 1/2 c. chopped unsalted peanuts, plus extra 1/2 c. raisins, plus extra 1 c. cardinal mix birdseed, plus extra Handsaw Drill w/3/8” bit Awl or large nail Wood glue Ruler Medium size pot Measuring cups Spoon

*A regular 12 oz. Styrofoam cup may be used.

Instructions:

1) Drill 2 holes in cup 1 “ below lip of cup as shown in illustration A. Punch one small hole with awl in bottom center of cup.

2) Tie one end of rope onto dowel. Add a little glue around knot. Allow glue to dry. Insert dowel into holes as shown in illustration B. Feed other end of rope into hole in bottom of cup.

3) Wind up excess rope into a coil. Insert cup with dowel and rope into another cup as shown in illustration C.

4) Repeat instructions with remaining cups. You will have 3 cups to fill with suet mixture.

5) Chop up suet into small pieces. Melt suet in a medium pot over medium low heat. The suet will take some time to melt and some bits will remain on bottom of pot. Tip: to speed up the process, chop up suet in a food processor and add to pot. It’s messy but it does save some time in melting.

6) Remove from heat and allow suet to cool for several minuets. Stir in 1/2 cup peanut butter and corn meal. Stir in 1/2 cup chopped peanuts, 1/2 cup raisins and 1 cup birdseed. Pour mixture into prepared cups. If the suet mixture doesn’t come to the top of the cup, add more peanut butter, seeds and raisins.

7) Put into freezer or refrigerator to harden.

8) When suet mixture has set up, tear off cup. Tie rope from bell to a tree limb and enjoy watching the birds eat the birdseed bell.