Pears don't need much care you could get by with out any spraying. Deer and insects don't bother with pears. Asian pears are similar to an apple and are eaten off the tree in summer. European pears need to be picked and cool stored then ripened. Brambles are low maintenance so are most berries. Apples need the most care and they are harvested in the fall.

I recommend persimmons (Asian non-astringent varieties like Fuyu) and Jujubes. They are low maintenance and may not require spraying. Good luck. (you might want to check on blueberries too, they are relatively low maintenance).

Zone 5 will not work for asian persimmons (like Fuyu), but american varieties would work (but I would avoid getting such a fruit unless you've had the opportunity to try it first.

Mulberries would be a good choice (low maintenance, no spray, sweet and tasty)

Jujube's might be a good choice, but the exposure of the site might make survival likely, but fruiting a chance. On the plus side, they are low maintenance, from what I've read they can take less moisture once established. (all trees will require a period of getting established)

also, consider nuts. Walnuts and Hazelnuts might make good choices as well (though you will fight wildlife for much of the harvest)

Blueberries will likely work (as you have acidic soil being in New England) as would serviceberries (which might be a better option in the long run)

Pears are pretty easy in New England (as the tree in my grandmother's yard will attest).

~Chills

Blueberries would work in this location, provided that your soil is on the acid side of the pH scale. Another low maintenance fruit would be everbearing raspberries. These can be mowed down to the ground in the late fall, and they will reliably come back up in the spring. They do tend to spread.

Our local extension here has a whole article on fruit that does well on a reasonably large supply of benign neglect.... Here, it includes Figs, persimmon, paw paw, mulberry, muscadine grapes, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and a few others...

I have also heard that Jujubes are a good candidate... and pears and some apples (Especially the crabs) may also qualify.

Many nut trees also fit the bill...

Unfortunately, we are quite a way south of you -- so many of ours may not do nearly as well where you are at... but.. yours may have a similar list...

One suggestion -- if your lawn isn't growing anything particularly well... Get a soil analysis done before you plant... It could be a PH or mineral problem that could be fairly easy to correct.

Thanks

John

The lawn does support a fabulous crop of rudbeckia and digitalis--we just can't grow veggies without a lot of amendment. Blueberries and raspberries might be just the ticket. We're just an hour from Nourse Farms, so I will get plants there. And try to persuade my husband to help net the bushes...

I'd love to grow some nut trees if it's possible w/o spraying. Can anyone suggest specific nut tree cultivars to look for? No chemicals here, as we're directly up-slope from a beautiful lake.

Thanks for the encouragement and ideas.

s_l,
I know at least one fellow in MA who's successfully growing and fruiting pecans(northern/midwestern varieties). I suspecte that chestnuts, hickories and eastern black walnuts would undoubtably do OK for you there, and some Carpathian walnut varieties might work, as well as some heartnut cultivars.
Check out the Northern Nut Growers Assn. website linked below, and peruse the online catalogs/info at Nolin River Nut Tree Nursery(KY), Grimo Nursery(Ont), and(if you can find his website) John H. 'Nuttree' Gordon, Jr. Nursery(NY) and St. Lawrence Nursery(NY). All good sources for nut/persimmon/pawpaw varieties that should work in zones 5-6, maybe even parts of zone 2,3,4.

Here is a link that might be useful: Northern Nut Growers Association

if you salt your driveway you could have issues with run-off.

>I'd love to grow some nut trees if it's possible w/o spraying. Can anyone >suggest specific nut tree cultivars to look for? No chemicals here, as we're >directly up-slope from a beautiful lake.

Pine nuts, if you like them. Rhora's Nut Farm and Nursery sells several kinds.

Alex

"if you salt your driveway you could have issues with run-off."

Salt it with magnesium or potassium or maybe even calcium chloride instead of sodium chloride. You still have chloride issues but no problem from sodium. Special deicing "salt" of the first two types are sold in bulk (25-40 lb) labeled for such deicing and potassium chloride is the "muriate of potash" fertilizer that is widely available.