Hiring: Assistant Orchard Manager

We are a 50 acre orchard in Granville, MA growing peaches, pears, nectarines and apples. We are celebrating our 100th year anniversary this season and are looking forward to welcoming an Assistant Orchard Manager to the team. We have about 8,000 trees that we prune, thin, spray, and pick each season. We are looking for a leader who is experienced in apple farming to become our Assistant Orchard Manager.

Mountain Orchard, LLC picks and packs our fruit to wholesale and deliver to stores, markets, schools and different farm stands in the area. We also have a self-service stand on the property which is open at the start of the harvest season until Thanksgiving. As an Assistant Orchard Manager you will help in leading up to 15 workers at a time. Our farm is a great place to practice and refine your skills in apple farming and to expand on new skills.

We generally work 40 to 60 hours per week depending on the necessities of the season.

Responsibilities:

The primary job as the Assistant Orchard Manager at Mountain Orchard, LLC, is to oversee the day to day work and utilize your education and experience to help decide what needs to be done each day. This is a very important position for our orchard because it helps keep us on track for the season and maximizes fruit quality, financial performance, and company success.

As an Assistant Orchard Manager, you are responsible for the field operations of an active farm. You will be coordinating and leading employees; creating schedules for spraying and irrigation; pruning, thinning, grafting, and planting trees; coordinating equipment readiness and harvesting; directing harvest operations; and leading packing and wholesale apple sales.

Responsibilities include monitoring the apple orchard for disease and pest issues, monitoring plant and soil nutrient levels and assisting in planning of pesticide applications, maintaining pesticide and nutrient records, monitoring weather and recording data and keeping records of trees and planting blocks. The Assistant Orchard Manager will be involved in the operations of the packing line, construction, maintenance, and repair of buildings, roads, and all related infrastructure as necessary.

Candidates must be able to work with managers and laborers in a positive way, have a very strong desire to succeed, produce results, and be self-motivated.

Field Duties:

• Oversee, communicate, manage, assess and direct staff who report to this position, while supporting and encouraging their success
• Provide leadership in directing the field work force to ensure timely completion of necessary farming practices
• Ensure correct training of workforce, assessment of skills and performance
• Assist in the direction and coordination of the overall operations of the farm, including farm development, planting, irrigation, application/pest management, pruning, thinning, training, harvesting, and packing
• Manage a team of regular and seasonal employees
• Report weekly orchard field evaluations to assist in planning of spray applications, irrigation, fertilizer applications, mowing, pests, and equipment care
• Inspect equipment to ensure proper functioning and coordinate maintenance and repairs
• Determine and authorize alternative procedures to accommodate variables, for example weather conditions, water supply, stage of crop or tree development, and new compliance issues
• Be capable of working a flexible schedule, as workload requires
• Other duties as needed

Office Duties:

• Maintain a culture of safety and safe work practices in the Orchard and associated property
• Knowledgeable about agricultural safety laws. Assist with or conduct required safety training; monthly reporting; and following up on work related injuries/modified duty assignments
• Keep accurate records about pesticide and chemical usage and inventories
• Oversee and supervise completion and submission of appropriate reporting
• Other administrative duties as needed

Qualifications:

• Candidates should have documented and verifiable agricultural experience, preferably related to tree fruit. Two years of orchard experience are preferred.
• Mechanical aptitude
• Ability to plan ahead and be prepared for evolving circumstances
• Ability to work independently or with minimal supervision
• Be able to communicate in English; Ideal candidates will be patient in understanding broken English
• Be experienced with farming techniques, procedures, crop timing, and chemicals
• Thrive in an environment where it is necessary to manage multiple tasks under pressure
• Knowledge of GAP and FSMA is desirable
• A valid driver’s license and a clean record
• Ability to build positive, constructive relationships at all levels of the company
• A MA Private Pesticide Applicator License or the ability to obtain one
• Pruning, grafting, and thinning experience preferred
• A clean driving record for at least one year is preferred.

Educational Requirements:  Undergraduate degree and/or relevant education

Job Type:  Full-time starting in March

This job will require you to pass a background check:  Yes

Application Requirements: Please submit a resume and cover letter to anna@mountainorchard.com

Salary and Benefits: $30,000/year with the ability to negotiate an attractive benefits package and the potential to earn ownership in the company.

Please visit our website for more information on our farm and history: www.mountainorchard.com