Orchard Manager

Socket.dev; Flint (MI); On-site; USD 42,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Applewood Estate in Flint, MI, is seeking a skilled horticulture professional to maintain an historic apple orchard and landscape grounds. The role includes pruning, grafting, irrigation, pest management, and coordinating with volunteers and staff during public workshops and events.

You will manage fruit harvests, support the Master Plan for horticulture, and help deliver public programs while upholding environmental stewardship and community engagement.

Qualifications

• Degree in horticulture or related field preferred.
• Minimum of three years of experience in apple orchards or fruit tree care.

Responsibilities

• Care for an apple orchard with multiple varieties and maintain landscape grounds.
• Perform pruning, thinning, grafting, planting, irrigation, and weed control to preserve historic integrity.
• Harvest, store, and distribute fruit to the community and events.

Skills

Horticulture

Pesticide license

CAD software

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor in horticulture

Tools

CAD software

Microsoft Office

Job description

Description

JOB SUMMARY

To maintain the historic apple orchard and various fruit trees and shrubs, rose garden, and landscapes on the grounds of Applewood: The Charles Stewart Mott Estate, using good environmental stewardship.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Care for and maintain an apple orchard with 29 varieties, including the following fruit trees and bushes: pear, plum, peach, apricot, saskatoon, blueberry, and currant.
• Perform winter and summer pruning and thinning of fruit trees and clean-up using ladders, pruners, saws, and hands.
• Conduct research, design, grafting, planting, irrigation, weed control, fertilization, and tree training to maintain the historic integrity of the orchard.
• Undertake the harvesting, cold storage, and distribution of fruit to the Flint community and “Taste of Applewood.”
• Practice Integrated Pest Management: scouting and monitoring traps for pests; monitoring weather and degree-day data for forecast models relating to insect pests and plant diseases.
• Apply chemical applications to the fruit trees utilizing and maintaining a large tractor and orchard sprayer.
• Maintain estate rose collection including all aspects of the formal rose garden, crab apple tree collection, and bowling green turf.
• Perform various operational duties, including equipment maintenance, painting, recycling, snow plowing, fall leaf collection and processing. Landscape and annuals planting, hedge trimming, plant labeling, minor sprinkler repair, maintaining plant and SDS records, and supply inventory and ordering.
• Direct and teach Landscape Assistants, contracted partners, and volunteers on proper completion of orchard tasks and practices.
• Perform all levels of landscape and ground maintenance tasks as directed.
• Engage in continuing education to stay informed of advances in horticulture, community engagement, and computer-aided drafting software.
• Collaborate with Education and Program staff by: (a) Assisting with creative development, support, and evaluation of Applewood’s programs; (b) Sharing expertise through creation and presentation of public workshops in horticulture and other related topics of interest; (c) Participating in event set-up and tear-down; (d) Providing horticulture technical assistance to grant staff, grantees, volunteers, organizations, and groups; and (e) Leading guided grounds tours of Applewood and supporting other education functions.
• Support implementation of Applewood’s Master Plan, particularly related to horticulture needs.
• Support implementation of the Ruth Mott Foundation’s strategic plan as it relates to Applewood.
• Support the execution of all organizational goals, especially those related to facilitating a positive organizational and race equity culture.
• Complete other duties as assigned.

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge and Relevant Experience

• Degree in horticulture or apple orchard related field, bachelor’s degree preferred,
• Minimum of three years of experience working in apple orchards and with other fruit trees.

Skills

• Michigan Commercial Certified Pesticide Applicator’s License with commercial core, 1C fruit, 3A turfgrass, and 3B ornamental plant categories or must begin to obtain within 30 days of employment and complete by 90 days of employment.
• Knowledge of insect pests, plant diseases, invasive plant species, integrated pest management, tree fruit culture, apiculture, pollination, and standard horticultural practices.
• Experience with weather analysis/disease and pest model software. Michigan State University Enviro-Weather preferred.
• Comfortable handling machinery including tractors, chainsaws, and other implements.
• Experience using computer-aided drafting software.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite.
• Ability to work collaboratively with individuals from all sectors of the community and a commitment to race equity, diversity, and inclusion.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Must be able to travel up and down stairs and ladders.
• Bend, stoop, and lift to move materials on occasion.
• Pull/push, lift and carry up to 55 pounds on a regular basis.
• Reach both above and below shoulder height when needed.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The nature of the work requires the ability to work in both an indoor office environment and outdoor environments in varying temperatures and weather conditions.