INBMA

About a year ago we bought a house with a garden and orchard, after walking through the house about once, and never even looking at the orchard.  Probably not the best way to buy a place.  Anyway, this is one of the two pear trees in March.  I tried to prune off branches that grow in towards the middle, or straight up.  The bark is scabby, and last year the two large trees only yielded a couple dozen misshapen pears.  Doesn't look good....

This apple tree, on the other hand, was prolific.  I hand thinned it several times, taking care to pick the codling moth hit apples later in the season.  The discarded apples we soaked in a bucket for several days, to try to kill the larvae.  The tree proved to be a red delicious, which was good for eating, but it's not too good for apple sauce or cooking, as it takes a long time to soften, and lacks tartness...
There are several other apple trees, and I think for someone trying to grow stuff without chemicals, the possibilities are best with apples, particularly discarding the obviously damaged apples through the summer...
 

Here are some Golden Delicious apples at harvest time...