Hi Kate....I also live on top of a windy hill.....when we built here over 40 years ago, my husband planted hemlocks and one spruce on one side of our property, and white pines & spruces on the other.......all the pines are down....too brittle......most of the hemlocks are down.....shaded out the veggie garden....the spruce are still there & do give a windbreak, but I think it's because our neighbors also planted a row of spruce....so, double the amount....lots of spruce cones, though....some have very tiny cones, others have huge heavy ones.....raking up is a pain. You could try large rhodos....they keep their leaves all winter, but probably don't get higher than 8-10'....guess there are drawbacks to all....one neighbor planted arborvitae, but the deer loved them.....
