January is not completely lame

Around here, there's one thing that keeps January from being completely devoid of outdoorsy fun, and that's the fact that it's tree-planting season. Yesterday we received our annual order from Trees of Antiquity, and we wasted no time getting the saplings into the ground. Here's what we got:

• 2 Dorsett Golden apples (a breed from the Bahamas, with practically no chill requirement)

• 1 Suntan apple (a gorgeous cross of Cox's Orange Pippin)

• 2 Siberian crabapples

• 1 Seckel pear (to replace one that died in the drought)

We've also got three Mirabelle plum trees on order, but since they're coming from New York state, they won't be shipped until March 1. That's pushing it for us, but we had no choice...and we really wanted those plums.

For those who haven't been keeping track, we already have:

• 2 Montmorency cherries

• 2 Smyrna quinces

• 1 Bramley apple

• 1 Calville Blanc apple

• 1 White Pearmain apple

• 1 Winesap apple

• 1 Arkansas Black apple

• 1 Monark apple

• 1 Whitney crabapple

• 1 Seckel pear

• 1 Greengage plum

• 1 Damson plum

We may add even more fruit trees over the next month or so. The oldest trees in our orchard are only three years old at this point, and because of the horrible late frost last year, we've only ever gotten two pieces of fruit: one quince, and one Arkansas Black apple. But that was enough to get our juices flowing. One day we hope the orchard will reward us with plenty.

Does anyone have experience with peaches? We've avoided growing them so far, because we've been told they're difficult to grow without pesticides and fungicides. But maybe there are resistant varieties that could be grown more or less organically...?