Converting open land to food forest - comparative methods question

Hello,
I would like to get feedback on the idea of best ways to increase living carbon in the soil in preparing ahead of a food forest install. I have ten years until I aim to plant, potentially a bit sooner.

The conversion would take place on old hay or corn field in zone 4 upper Midwest, relatively wet, clay and sand loams around here.
We are talking a set up of alley cropping on contour.

Do you think its better to 1)  do 1-2-3 years of  winter rye leading into more mixes species cover crops or 2) (and this might be a bit unconventional - that's why I am coming here), plant woody species that are fast and vigorous on depleted soil? Such as black locust, honey locust, Caragana, poplar, etc..
The intent would then to either at once or selectively remove most to all of the pioneer species of trees before diverse planting of perennial fruit species go in.
The trees would be chipped or chopped and dropped.

Might this pioneer species prove hard to kill with suckering and resprouting?
What method do you think could get more carbon into the soil? with the least labor over time (as that's another consideration- a hands off approach for some years)?

I am thinking about the Afforest methods from fellow in India and comparing that to a regen ag method commonly discussed.
Any thoughts would be much appreciated.
THank you
Nick

How about a modified combination of both? Plant your pioneer species and a cover crop. Then come back and plant your fruit/nut trees/shrubs with the pioneer, nitrogen-fixing, land-remediation trees still in place. Let them act as nurse trees to actually help your orchard get established, before you chop and drop them. This allows you to plant your orchard sooner and get a greater benefit from your initial round of planting.