Yellowdirt, Despite what you've been told, the reason for cultivation between rows is not to break up bacterial colonies, but to reduce certain insect and disease inoculum (it can help reduce disease inoculum, not by breaking up bac. colonies, but by burying last season's leaf litter which can harbor disease). Clover and alfalfa, while offering a benefit of adding N, have the disadvantage of harboring stink bugs. Around here this is a big problem, but in MT, with less rain, it may not be. You're on the right track trying to reduce grass/weed competition around your trees, just don't do it with plastic.

Not necessarily,barkdust. Some pears will work on hawthorn understock; I've got at least one that's close to 15 years old now, grafted on native C.crus-galli understock. Suspect that quince(Cydonia) would probably work, and possibly medlar, as well. Some nurseries offer named selections of Amelanchier x grandiflora on hawthorn understock. Also, I have several mayhaw selections grafted, growing, and fruiting on the native cockspur hawthorn - but, as barkdust suggested, they are in the same genus, Crataegus.

Like Sandy I line the pie pan but I use foil instead of plastic (but plastic sounds like a better idea) put in the apple slices and add the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg, cover it with more foil and freeze, then I put it in a plastic bag. I've never had any trouble with the apples turning brown or mushy apples when they thaw or cook but I use mostly Ida Red apples which are great keepers and are fairly hard. I live in NYS so don't know if those apples are available everywhere or not. They are one of the last to ripen, if fact I just got two bushels so now have to start making applesauce for the grandkids.

Chloebud, stop by any time! However, the berries will be ready about June, plan ahead, LOL. Some cherries might still be left then too! heatheron, that's a very neat idea for your pie crust, I'll have to remember that. Your son is right, though, crisps are easier than pie, and equally delicious. Carol, organic produce is expensive here too, so I grow as much of my own as I can. I'm trying to figure out how to keep the birds out of the cherry trees, the chipmunks out of the strawberries, the turkeys out of the corn patch, the deer out of the garden and the groundhogs out of everything! One of my sweet cherry trees is the creamy colored Royal Ann, which is supposed to fool the birds and they think it isn't ripe. We'll see, I guess... I have made cherry jam from the sour cherries but I seem to be the only person that likes it, and I made cherry BBQ sauce too, but it wasn't a big hit. I did make an awesome cherry sorbet from them, though, and I'll make that again. Annie