@Aviva
Not sure you have read this thread about Hudson Golden Gem.
Look to be a shy bearer, have a biennial tendency and a yellow jacket magnet (happen to many sweet fruit). @BobVance who grows it in CT, showed his young HGG cracked, probably by rain. Knowing these issues going in will help you decide if you want a tree of HGG or graft it to another tree.
There are other russeted apples that people here like such as Ashmead’s Kernel, Egremont Russet, Golden Russet, Herefordshire Russet, Hoople’s Antique Gold, Roxbury Russet, Zabergau Reinette, etc. you can grow one tree and grafted all these to be your all-in-one russeted tree.
I like smaller rootstock for the reason @evilpaul mentioned. It is easier to manage and care for. I used to think I could grow apples organically. The idea ended when Marrsonina Leaf Blotch showed up.
You have not mentioned if or how much you are willing to spray your fruit trees. They are people who do:
- no spray
- organic spray
- low impact spray (mostly organic but is willing to spray synthetic as needed)
- synthetic spray
If you want no spray, you may want to re-think your love for stone fruit. Euro plums’s toughest issue is black knot as @JinMA mentioned. I grow mirabelles and other Euro. I used to have a graft of Mount Royal. It tasted fine but fruit is on a small size. Although it is supposed to be self-fertile, you will get a better yield if you graft other Euro that are pollen compatible to this tree.
Glad you do a lot of reading/researching before starting your orchard. It will help save you time and headache.