I think the bush, the flowering, is better for a hedge.It bears in times of stress, I think (all the rain last summer, for ex), so isn't so dependable for the fruit. It But can bush out beautifully, whereas the tree version is more like an ornamental tree. I think a goal of hedge bushes is not only that they are impenetrable, but that they can survive close together, and not have problems.For ex. if you did put a row of short, trained peaches, too close together, they might not stay healthy? You want a kind of rosa multiflora...that won't be invasive. What about witch-hazel?

The first year we bought fruit for our backyard we bought a gooseberry plant and it is the only plant that has thrived with the root competition of a nearby tree and with little help from us. I also mulched it heavily last year and everywhere a branch accidentally got mulched over it rooted. I would think gooseberries would be a nice tough plant to try as a hedgerow. Most of the cuttings I took last year rooted and we are going to plant them near the first one to form a hedge in that area.

You may have read this before but just in case you haven't, here is an article from Mother Earth Magazine that I read some time ago.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/living-fences-zmaz10onzraw.aspx#axzz2l1VBTp54

You have probably read this book, and I am only on Chapter 3. The author has mentioned esplaniers of apple and pear already, and one of the footnotes says to google "lorette system of pruning." Hope this helps.

I've been doing some research on multi-purpose barrier plants recently and came across Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) that apparently grows tall, has thorns that can keep out larger pests like deer, and makes edible berries. I've heard differing stories about whether or not they are easy to cultivate, though.

I ordered some sold stratified seeds from a small outfit in Massachusetts and tried to direct seed in autumn. Nothing so far, but maybe we'll see some growth in spring. We're also going to try growing some starts in late winter.

We have planted a thornless hawthorn tree and after doing so, I read that in England they do make haw-jelly so it is likely the chickens can eat the fruit. Some options for hedges in our climate that I am considering are lilacs or Siberian pea shrubs. I read an anecdote once that during WWII, the food from pea shrubs was used to keep poultry alive in Siberia. Pea shrubs also take a lot of abuse from wind and drought and do well. I am not sure how they would perform in your climate though.

I have a japanese quince outside my front door. It grows like nobody's business and it has the most striking pink flowers in the lat winter/early spring. It does fruit, and from what I understand the fruit is indeed edible. This website: http://www.laughingduckgardens.com/ldblog.php/2013/10/28/the-other-quince/ has information on canning/preserving the fruits. This website: http://doctorschar.com/features/japanese-quince-chaenomeles-japonica/ has some other interesting info.

I don't use it as a hedge, but it grows so thickly and it has some mean spines on it! The birds of the neighborhood like to use it to hide from my cat.

Many years ago I had a friend who made beach plum jelly from the bushes on their place on Martha's Vineyard, MA. The jelly was delicious. Since these bushes grow well in the salt water area, I am not sure if they would do well inland. Something to consider.