The Transylvania Times -

When most of us think of fruit trees or berries in western North Carolina, we usually think apple, pear, plum and other common warm season fruits. Rightly so because that is what and when we usually get to enjoy these fresh treats. Wildlife including birds also enjoy these warm season fruits and berries also sometimes called soft mast. Mast is the fruit of forest trees and shrubs. Acorns and other nuts are considered hard mast while fruits and berries are considered soft mast. While a lot of trees have dropped their fruit to the ground by winter, this process usually starts the decaying pro...