Hello everyone!  I've discussed this idea in person with a few members here.  Since this season is coming to a close I've been able to dedicate a little more time to it.

My idea is to add 30 potted fig trees to our country property in Oneonta, NY.  Zone 5a.  We're going to build a fruit cage to protect the potted fig trees.  The fruit cage would be 32' x 32'.  The spot picked out for the figs receives 12+ hours per day of direct sunlight.  There is an artesian spring 200' from the location which will be used to deliver water to the fig trees via solar pump, holding tank and drip lines.  The spring does not go dry even during times of drought.  The trees would be stored in an insulated shipping container during dormancy.

The project also consists of repairing (pruning, fertilizing, etc) a dozen or so very old apple trees that have not been cared for in decades.  They produce delicious apples every other year or so.  

We have a dozen Dunston chestnut trees now and would like to add another 12 or so of different varieties in addition to pawpaw and asian pear.

Our short term goal is to have a decent hobby orchard that we can start to enjoy right away.  My mid term goal is to have a small profitable orchard 10 years from now.  The long-term dream is to have a medium-sized business that can be passed to my children in 25-30 years.

We have the land to make the project scaleable when and if the time comes.  But right now we are gathering funds to get the project off the ground.  So the project is broken down into 4 phases.  Phase one includes adding the figs and additional fruit trees and building the fruit cage.  From my research I've come up with a basic accounting of funds needed to start the project.  If anyone can tell me if I'm on the right track or give some input I'd appreciate it.  Would especially like input on bird netting and ground cover.

Photobucket is down right now.  I'll post pics when it comes up.

Fruit Cage

• lumber                                              $  600
• exterior screws                                        30
• Bird netting or Poultry netting + tools      500
• 3-point hitch post hole digger                  480
• Ground cover/weed barrier + anchors      350
• Hinge hardware for doors                         40

• Drip Supplies                                      $  100
• Solar Pump                                            200
• IBC Tote                                                150
• Plumbing to drip system                           25
• lumber and brackets for 16' tank stand     200
• 100W Solar kit w/ charge controller          100
• Battery                                                    50
• Watering Timer                                        45
• tank to fruit cage delivery lines                  30

• 20 25 gallon nursery pots                     $  275
• Potting soil components                           100
• Fertilizer + amendments                            60
• lumber for plant stands                            160

• 12 Chestnut trees                               $   300
• 12 Pawpaw trees                                     360
• 12 Asian Pear trees                                  480
• Tree tubes, weed mats, etc                       400
• Fertilizer                                                   50

Sounds like an interesting project!  It should bring you and your family much enjoyment and improved health in the long run. 

My only suggestions are;
-  be prepared for the huge workload that apple farming requires.  Apple trees grow like weeds and take a lot of work to prune and also to thin the fruit and spray for a marketable crop.
- Bird netting is readily available at supply stores for grape farms.  There are also some suppliers online from Italy and Germany.  Many different types of netting some could be suitable for your fruit cage.    Although I don't think birds are a big problem for figs and squirrels are mostly interested in nuts.  Netting won't help for squirrels anyway.
- you need to select trees that will grow and ripen fruit/nuts in your location, climate zone and soil type. 
- I did a similar thing in Niagara.  Lots of fun but lots of work and a sink hole for expenses. 

Hey when you are young everything is possible.

I would suggest in addition to your current view that you also consider looking at the project backyards from the end of the first year growth cycle and make sure that you have a foolproff plan for everything that might happen as your review progress from the end to the beginning of the first year. For example. End of first year, the figs have to go into the insulated shipping container. What is your plan / strategy for ensuring that the insulated container doesn't turn into an insulated deep freezer killing your potted plants.... Does your plan include providing for minimal heat during dormancy to keep the ambient temp a bit above freezing. Does you plan include backup power source for your backup heating system? A bad snow storm taking out the power grid in Oneonta for several days would do your figs in if the containers internal temp drops below freezing.... I think your planning is great and I am envious of your strategic thinking, if you have not already done so, then perhaps my suggestion to start at the back of the plan and review looking forward might identify valuable contingency planning and save you from hard lessons learned after the fact....

It sounds like a great project! But don’t underestimate the amount of work involved. These kind of projects ALWAYS mean more work than you initially thought!

The fruit cage would be an important cost. Do you really need a fruit cage? Is it worth the investment?

You could save on the nursery pots if you buy them second hand. I bought mine for less than 2 euros each (but mine are 35L, they are smaller than your 25 gallon pots).

The fruit trees are also an important cost in any orchard. You could consider grafting your own trees. This however means a lot of extra work and it takes longer before you have fruits. But if your project is in several phases, you could save a lot of money if you start growing rootstocks now.

Good luck!

Danny, I am sure it will become heaven on earth.... I made the mistake years ago when my kids were about 8 - 10 years old of passing up a buying opportunity just outside of Oneonta.... It was 110 acres of essentially flat cornfield adjacent to 2 similar tracts also in corn fields surrounded by thousands of acres of state forest. For $30K.... a ridiculous price now and in hindsight.... but.... it would have been a stretch back then when raising the kids and saving for college was the order of each day. It would have been perfect and considering how much time I spend running around Ellenville and environs, Oneonta land would not have been a waste... As they say, hindsight is 20x20 and he who snoozes, looses.... Now I have given up on the idea of recreational land purchases since retirement is looming and funds are earmarked for other things yet again....  I hunt state forests and hike state trails and mountains....  So, my final advice is.... Live your dream!

I don't have anything else but best of luck with it.  It sounds terrific!

It was mentioned that pruning the apple trees would be a large task. You might want to look into the tall spindle method of growing apple trees. Not that I have a bunch of apple trees or the space to grow them, but it sounds interesting. Good luck to you in your endeavor.

Hi Danny.
I think it's a great idea,what could be more enjoyable then spending time doing the
things that you love to do ?
I wish I did that 20 years ago. Good luck with the project.
Vito

You may want to consider planting in the ground and covering with high tunnels like Greenfin. Varieties that are already geared for your zone would be a good start. You could cover the tunnel w plastic in the winter and netting in the summer. 25 figs is not that much. I just covered 25 figs in a couple hours using used carpet underlayment and plastic bags. Super easy, very little risk of permanent damage. Apples are a lot of work for clean fruit. Plums are super easy.

Congratulations on your dream project. I'm following a similar idea while trying to have fun without breaking the bank. So time is not a problem.
Re your irrigation system, you mentioned a solar pump. How does it work? I currently have a dug in well and using a submersible pump and a generator to get water to an above ground 275 gallon tote.
I intend to use a portable irrigation pump which I just purchased from Harbor Freight to deliver water to my trees, but since everything is manual, I'd have to be there to irrigate. I will have about 60 trees in a row. So far I put in about 25 trees (I'd have to check the exact number) at that location.
The current row to irrigate is about 220 feet long which will be expanded to about 500 ft. Still not sure of what to use to deliver the water.
If anyone has any ideas...

Also how high off the ground your tote will be?

Hi,
Nice project, we just live once ! but now to make it into profit ... You'll have to think of what products you'll want to make and sell.
Pawpaws, I heard, are hardly shippable, the fruit is not easy to transport if fresh. So are you thinking jams or preserves ? If so, think of the costs for the building for hosting that activity and "pans"/big cookers in fact, and what you need for the jam (sugar, jars, lemon juice? , agar agar?... ) and marketing or time so sell at a farmer-market.
The same for the other fruits. But ok, that's a long term thought that you need to have, but can have later. Except if you choose varieties that are not adapted to canning or jamming... So maybe think of it now.

As for figs, we're speaking of a Zone5 location, so you need pots and/or greenhouses.
Some have made buried greenhouses. You should consider burying the winter-container. The dirt is the best heat-sink.
So you could either just bury the container and drag the trees inside - plan for a cart and a walkway to make the task easy- or build a semi-buried tunnel where the trees would stay the whole year long .
I would probably make both and see what works best for you ( your patience, your will to do this or rather that )
Good luck and keep us posted :) !

"He buried them alongside a small hill which made it even easier."

Danny,

This comment tweaked a thought in my mind though I don't know how relevant it would be to your land.... I am always reading descriptions of "cheese caves" set into a hillside that can be used under proper conditions and protections for aging hard cheeses, wines and likely even charcuterie... I wonder if something similar would also provide fig plant storage opportunities. Would be great if you had a smallish "Howes Cavern" type grotto to tap into but....

Root pouches worked great for my pawpaw seedlings this year. Not sure the difference in price though.