I have been looking to this site for advice and recommendations for a while now and decided it was time to join in the fun. I have grown to love growing fruit of all kinds. I have apples, pears, plums, cherries (Nanking, cornelian, sour, sweet), blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, gooseberries … I think you have the idea! I just wish I had more property. I live in the north country of New York State zone 4b/5. Thank you for all you share!
Nancy
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Welcome! I hope you have a great time.
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Hi Nancy,
Welcome aboard. If you don’t mind, could you please add your general location i.e. county and state) since NY is such a large state with different local climates. We have several forum members from NY state.
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I’m guessing Washington county. None of the benign influence of Lake Ontario, which would have expanded her list of fruit species. They even commercially grow apricots on its shore.
I’m in Essex county NY - Westport
Wait, so you are bordering the lake? I’m surprised you aren’t at least up to 5b.
Just checked it on a map- the southern finger of Lake Champlain. I can see how it might not moderate your temps too much, it’s really narrow there.
Welcome 
I’m not on the lake itself - about 10 miles west. Lots of little microclimates here.
Do you keep track of winter lows on your own property? I believe that my own zone has risen from 5b to 6 since 1990. Our extreme lows have been much higher for quite a while now. -15F. used to be quite “common” (meaning for a stretch of maybe 12 years most winters it got that cold) and one winter back then we got below -20 at least twice.
In this century I don’t believe we’ve gotten below -15 once and we’ve usually not had extremes at any point during winter below about -5 or so.
It’s beginning to seem like a changed climate with longer growing seasons and higher lows.
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Welcome Nancy!
Welcome Nancy! I’m in Cold Brook, NY (just north of Utica) and I believe Heirloom is just north of you.
Hi Andy
I don’t know what Heirloom is. Sounds like somewhere I’d like to go!
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He’s a member here (Keith). 
Oooh was thinking a nursery or someplace. Haha
A belated welcome from another Empire State orchardist. Over in the Finger Lakes, we are about 5 hours apart.