Expanding my home orchard

When we moved here 25 years ago one of the selling points of the property was the hayfield visible from our back deck. Now a house is to be built there this spring. Because we did not own the  field I always know this might happen some day. I'm sad, but also appreciate the years of memories of deer, coyotes and turkeys we watched in the grassy space out back.
But I'm not one to mope around and decry my loss. I'm putting up a six foot fence along the property line and planting fruit trees in front of it. I'll soon have a new view of flowers, fruit, and dancing leaves. The trees will also draw more birds for me to watch as they sip nectar, hunt insects, and share the fruit.
So what will be in my orchard? Well, not apples, for several reasons. Apples are tough fruits that travel well and are grown in large numbers in New England and nearby New York. That means I can buy lots of local apples at good prices all fall and winter. Apples are also not a prime fruit for preserving, one of the chief ways I intend to save my crops.
Peaches, apricots, persimmons and cherries all make delicious jam or preserves, and I hope to eventually have a pantry full of jars to feed us through the winter. They also freeze and dehydrate well. Finally, they are all more popular with the birds I enjoy sharing the garden with, especially the cherries! My plan is to keep my dwarf trees covered  (and or sprayed with grape koolaid) until I harvest about three quarters of the crops, and then to let the birds have the rest. This strategy has worked well with my blueberry crop. I already have a five year old Redhaven peach, and two pears planted last fall. The cherry, persimmon and apricot trees are coming in the mail shortly.
Now I have to plant the new  trees and keep them healthy until they fruit. This should take between 2 and 5 years. But that's ok- one of the things I love about gardening is that it takes time, that the gardener grows and learns as the crop grows. This orchard will be a new adventure, and I'm ready for it, up and downs and all.
Like the branch that broke on my peach tree last summer because I was greedy and did not thin the fruit:

Sigh-- one lesson learned. I'm now signed up to take a monthly class on home orchard care from April to October.