North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Mauch1@aol.com]

Your frost pocket might be being caused by the trees 
themselves, blocking the colder air from continuing downhill.

I'm not that knowledgeable about very cold climate gardening 
(I think my number of frost free days is almost double yours). 
Also, on average, how many hours of sun does the ground get?  
By some classifications, 6 hours is considered "full sun", but 
I'm not sure that applies for fruit.
But here's my thoughts for what their worth:

Brambles:  Would like the rich soil, most bloom rather late, 
but you'd have to have varieties hardy in your area

Prunus: Would probably like rich soil, but generally like soil 
well drained.  Again would have to be varieties adapted to 
your area

Pyrus:  Tolerant of the clay in general, but too rich for 
them? (fireblight hazard????)

Ribes: Down here, we have to give them some shade or heavy 
mulch.  I think they would do well for you.  You'd just have 
to have some use for the fruit.

Blueberry: might work.  Probably limited to the low bush and 
half-highs types.

Grape: I suspect too rich for the grapes (in too rich a soil, 
you can get into excessive cane growth at expense of fruit.)

Mulberries and bush cherries:  Don't really know anything 
useful about these.

Good luck!

Chris Mauchline
SE PA, zone 6

>   Brambles, prunus, pyrus, ribes, blueberry, grape, >mulberry, bush 
> cherries, 
>are all ideas - but I am ignorant which might be tolerant to >the partial 
>shade and bit of extra frost (90-95 frost free days) and also >proiduce a 
>crop. There is good winter/low sun SW shade. Trees or bush >fruit, any 
>suggestions? Thanks, Del Z2/3 (or warmer, it has been several >years since 
>we 
>have seen -40F)