Consider planting (disease-resistant) pear trees instead of apples. I have both pear and apple orchards, and the pears are closer to the "plant and forget". You'll still likely need to provide them some TLC to get them established.

Check out the Trophy Pear from Edward Fort Nursery, as it is a good early producer and fairly disease resistant- I am not sure how far into the frozen north it will survive...

-fsh