Job Information
Mt. Airy Orchards Orchard Worker in Dillsburg, Pennsylvania
This is a temporary position. Dates of employment are 03/01/2025 to 11/15/2025. To Apply: Click "I want to apply" and follow the application instructions provided on the next screen. Resumes and/or applications can be forwarded ATTN Sherry Ortiz via fax to (717) 243-7767. Be sure to reference the job posting number (20940636) on your resume/application. All resumes/applications are reviewed and only those that match the job specifications are sent to the employer for consideration.
Crops/Commodities: Apples, Peaches, Blueberries, Strawberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, Pumpkins
This job requires a minimum of three months of verifiable prior experience working on a fruit farm or orchard performing manual and machine tasks. Workers must be able to perform all assigned tasks with accuracy and efficiency. Applicants must be able to furnish verifiable job reference(s) or comparable third party documentation from recent employer(s) establishing acceptable prior experience. Plant, cultivate and harvest fruits and vegetables. Use hand tools including, but not limited to: shovels, hoes and knives. Plant roots, seeds and bulbs. Spread plastic or other groundcovering. Clean plastic by hand from ground upon removal. Till soil. Weed and thin plants. Transplant plants by hand. Stake/tie plants, trellis/prune plants, and set poles and wires for vine plants. Pick, cut, lift, or pull crops. Grade, size and field pack product. Take care to prevent damaging produce and plants. Work in fields. Prune, plant, cultivate and hand-harvest berries. Spread and remove ground covers. Trellis berry plants. Train berry canes. Monitor growth for tipping/pruning. Pick/harvest berries according to quality standards. Load/transport harvested berries. May be required to occasionally drive tractor. Workers that have been trained at Paulus Orchards may operate tractor and spraying equipment.
Planting: Propagate plants by placing buds/scions. Plant seedlings or 'liners' by hand or with mechanical planter. Clear cull stock, brush and debris. Dig holes and shovel dirt. Build tree trellises; which includes digging holes, placing posts, stringing wire, and tying conduit to wire. Tree Training: hoeing, tree painting, weed mat application. Tie/position trees and limbs, together and to trellises, using string, tape, wire or other fasteners and supports. Thinning: Hand thin to control the size and quality of fruit. Remove fruit blossom, bud and/or identifiable fruit from within a cluster of other fruits. Must accurately identify and remove misshapen, damaged or otherwise unmarketable fruit. Pruning: Hand pruning based on fruit variety. Use manual and mechanized pruning tools and equipment. Identify and remove stubs or broken branches, downward-growing branches, branches rubbing against each other, shaded interior branches, dead wood and shoots-suckers.
Use/handle ladders up to 18 ft. in length and weighing up to 50 lbs. or perform work on motorized platform. Harvest: Spot and/or strip pick fruit based on seasonal need. Snap fruit off tree with thumb and palm of hand to avoid stem pulls, punctures, bruising, or other damage. Zero tolerance for bruising. Pick culls and peelers. Fill fruit buckets and place fruit in bins. Follow supervisor/foreman's instructions on color/size requirements. Must be able to differentiate between colors and fruit varieties accurately.
Work is done in the field for long periods of time. Workers may assist in handling product weighing up to 60 pounds and lifting to a height of 5 feet. Workers must work on their feet in bent positions for long periods of time. Work requires repetitive movements and extensive walking. Work required in fields when plants are wet with dew and rain, and may be required during light rain, snow, moderate winds, direct sun, high humidity and extreme temperatures. Temperatures in fields during working hours can range from 10 to over 100 degrees F. Workers may be required to work during occasional show rs not severe enough to stop field operations. Allergies to ragweed, goldenrod, honey bees, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, or related chemicals may affect a workers ability to perform the job. Workers should be able to do the work required with or without reasonable accommodations.
Workers failing to produce a sufficient number of piece rate units to earn the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) for all hours worked during a pay period will be paid on an hourly basis at the AEWR for that pay period.