Hi there-

Kind of a fruit tree newbie here, and hoping you all can help. We are in the process of selecting 3 pear trees for planting this month in our Zone 4 (central Vermont) climate. I'm hoping to get some thoughts on varieties. We're planning to buy them from Elmore Roots (http://www.elmoreroots.com), a local nursery that has an excellent reputation. Here is their selection:

Cabot

Waterville

Hardy Wisconsin

Patten

Luscious

Greensboro

Stacey

Nova

Summercrisp

Does anyone have any experience with these varieties? These are probably all quite hardy, as the nursery is actually in zone 3, but I'm wondering about taste and other characteristics. Our priorities are having at least one with good fresh-eating quality/non-gritty texture, having at least one for canning, and at least one that is a good keeper. I am definitely intrigued by the Stacey pear, based on the little i've been able to find about it, but would love to hear any anecdotal information that's out there about any of these varieties.

One other, important question, i think- the nursery offers 3 sizes of potted trees: 5-foot, 6-foot and 7-foot. I am as impatient as the next person, and don't mind paying extra for a more mature tree, but is a 7-foot tree already too big/established to transplant? Does anyone have any thoughts on/experience with this? Again, these are not bare root- they're potted.

I am posting a very similar question about tree size for the apple trees we're planning to plant, so I apologize for the duplication.

Thanks in advance for any advice anyone has!

Susan