Orchard

Farm Facts
A great way to spend a Sunday afternoon is to drive through the many acres of beautiful Pennsylvania orchards. Pennsylvania produces over 13 million bushels of apples per year. Close to 8 million bushels are produced in Adams County alone, making it the top fruit producing county in the state.

Ripe fruit on a tree is very inviting, especially if you are hungry. There may be thousands of apples on the trees and picking a few may seem like nothing, but it is considered trespassing to enter an orchard without permission. You wouldnít appreciate your neighbor taking fruit from your trees! There are numerous fruit growers who sell fresh fruit for reasonable prices at roadside stands or markets.

The annual Apple Blossom and National Apple Harvest Festivals are great places to learn more about the apple industry. Not only are they educational, there are also crafts, entertainment, food and fun the entire family. The Apple Blossom Festival is usually held annually on the first weekend in May. The Apple Harvest Festival is held every year during the first two weekends in October. Both events are held at the South Mountain Fairgrounds in Arendtsville, PA.

Farm Operations
Unfortunately, farming is not a 9 to 5 job and sometimes farmers donít have weekends off. Farmers have only a few weeks to complete very important tasks that are crucial to raising quality fruit. Therefore, many farmers may start work before the sun rises and may not finish until after dark. Thousands of dollars can be lost if the farmers are unable to do their work in the short time Mother Nature gives them.

Farmers may have to drive their tractors on main roads because of the layout of their farm. Tractors are slow and sometimes may deposit mud on the highway. Farmers donít intentionally do this to annoy their neighbors or hold up traffic. When there is large farm equipment on the road, be patient and drive carefully. Watch where the equipment is going since it may make a sudden turn or stop. Take care when passing machinery and watch for oncoming traffic.

Pesticide Use
Growers need to protect their crops from disease and pests whenever possible. This includes spraying their trees with pesticides during the growing season to keep pests and diseases in check. Chemicals are used only when needed. Farmers typically spray pesticides by pulling a pesticide sprayer with a tractor through their orchards.

All farmers must be certified pesticide applicators if they wish to use pesticides. They must take a written examination to get their license and renew their certification every three years. Between license renewals, pesticide applicators must acquire educational update credits in order to be re-licensed.

A technique called Integrated Pest Management, or IPM, is being used in most orchards throughout Pennsylvania. IPM involves a trained professional detecting pest populations and determining what type of pesticide should be used, if any. IPM is environmentally sound since it decreases the amount of widespread spraying.

Most farmers try to spray during off-peak hours of the day when their neighbors are not outdoors. Farmers do not want to spray chemicals near their neighbors, but due to an orchards closeness to homes, itís often necessary. Because of the timeliness of farming, spraying may take place at any hour of the day. Contacting your farmer neighbor and informing him of any upcoming outdoor activities at your home will help improve neighbor relations. More often than not, farmers are willing to rework their spraying schedule to accommodate their neighbors.

Irrigation Use
Due to the unique weather patterns in Pennsylvania, orchards occasionally go through a dry year. Irrigation is a way of delivering water to the trees. Sometimes farmers simply spray water over the trees much like watering your lawn. A technique called trickle irrigation is being used where water is directly pumped through tubes to the roots at the base of the trees.
Sometimes our area suffers prolonged periods of drought. If this occurs, farmers will need to irrigate their orchards to keep them. The Susquehanna River Basin Commission requires that farmer who use 10,000 gallons of water or more per day for a month to register with the commission. Registration may prove beneficial if the time comes when water may have to be rationed.



Harvest Season
Harvest season is one of the most crucial and busiest times of the year. Fruitgrowers often hire migrant workers to help pick the fruit. These workers may be of a different race or nationality, but they are employees of the farm. They deserve the same respect and consideration you would give any other neighbor.

With harvest comes an increase in the number of trucks and tractors traveling on roads around orchards. Large fruit processing companies, such as Mottís and Knouse Foods, come with large trailer trucks to pick up the fruit for processing. These trucks may be loud, dirty and sometimes block traffic. Be patient. This is a temporary inconvenience that is a necessary in order to get the fruit from the tree to your table.

This publication is available in alternative media upon request.

The Pennsylvania State University is committed to the policy that all persons shall have equal access to programs, facilities, admission, and employment without regard to personal characteristics not related to ability, performance, or qualifications as determined by University policy or by state or federal authorities. It is the policy of the University to maintain an academic and work environment free of discrimination, including harassment. The Pennsylvania State University prohibits discrimination and harassment against any person because of age, ancestry, color, disability or handicap, national origin, race, religious creed, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status. Discrimination or harassment against faculty, staff, or students will not be tolerated at The Pennsylvania State University. Direct all inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policy to the Affirmative Action Director, The Pennsylvania State University, 328 Boucke Building, University Park, PA 16802-5901, Tel 814-865-4700/V, 814-863-1150/TTY..

BACK