Still researching apple varieties for flavor, texture, storage qualities, historical interest, disease resistance, suitability for this climate, etc...just in case I somehow figure out a way to start a small organic apple orchard/farm. So far, it looks as though a person could live very comfortably on 2 acres of intensively managed apple trees. Of course, the earliest marketable crop would be produced within 3 years of planting, and it typically takes a little time to prepare the land before planting. The trees don't come into serious production until 5 years after planting. That means that I'd have to find something to produce income during the interim:

• Strawberries: a relatively high value crop (especially if organic since they're one of the most chemically sprayed fruits) that bears the same year it is planted and can continue to bear reliably during subsequent years with attention to weeding, etc. It's also labor intensive to harvest and weed, and the berries spoil rapidly if there isn't an immediate market. Probably the best choice of the things I've thought of so far.
  
  
• Eggs/chicken: a good supplement to the apple trees because the chickens eat codling moth larvae and also help weed around the trees. However, probably best treated as a supplement rather than as a main crop, because I don't want to mess with killing hundreds of chickens.
  
  
• Specialty birds??? Chukars? Partridges? Pheasants?
  
  
• Herbs: the beauty of this idea is that I'd planned on underplanting the orchard with herbs anyway. As far as providing income though.....lavender? Sweetgrass? Possibly an assortment of herbs marketed to the gourmet restaurants in the area.
  
  
• Winter squash and pumpkins: I have experience in this, the pumpkins sell out during Halloween and winter squash seems to be a trendy food right now...as well as a good way to age fresh manure so that it can be used for other crops.
  
  
• Garlic, onions: both pretty reliable, easy to grow crops which can be braided for higher value. I like the fact that as with winter squash, they don't spoil right away.
  
  
• Sheep? I don't know if I want to deal with sheep. On the other hand, they would now the grass under the trees, which would obviate the herbicides and mechanical mowing which are usually utilized in orchards. The market for organic lamb is probably limited. To sell the wool, I would have to keep the sheep in very clean conditions so that their fleeces wouldn't get matted and full of chaff and debris.
  
  
• Angora goats: Can be shorn, unlike cashmere goats, and there is a better market for mohair than for wool in my opinion as a handspinner. However, nothing can defoliate an orchard faster than a herd of goats!!! I would have to have a bombproof way to ensure that they never, ever got into the orchard. They would be a nice outlet for the prunings....If I had a way to mow between rows, I could cut the vegetation for hay....rather than having them (or sheep) graze it.
  

sigh...pipe dreams are fun. :-/