Bright berries can provide a beautiful splash of color to your garden during the long, cold Midwestern winter while providing an important winter food source for birds and other wildlife.

Many native and naturalized shrubs produce berries that linger until midwinter or even early spring.

The classic winter shrub American Holly (Ilex opaca) is a native broadleaf evergreen with bright red berries that are popular with birds. It is hardy from zones 5-9, but can sometimes be coaxed to survive in colder climates against a wall with warm southern exposure and …

One of the best ways to attract wild turkeys in the fall is with acorn mast. Mast is the reproductive fruit of trees. Acorns, a type of hard mast, are produced by oak trees.

Acorn mast is one of the most important autumn foods of many wildlife species, including wild turkeys and whitetail deer. In fact, studies have found that in many regions of the country acorn mast makes up 70% of the diet of wild turkeys in autumn.

If you want to attract wild turkeys to your property with acorn mast, …