Fruit farmers grow and market fruit for profit. They own their orchards and vineyards. Fruit farmers generally specialize in one kind of fruit depending on the region in which they live. Pears, peaches, berries, and melons are other important crops. Fruit farmers also grow nuts, like pecans and walnuts, and grapes for eating or for making wine.
Fruit farming is outdoor, seasonal work. The duties of the grower depend on the crop, the season, and the size of the orchard or vineyard. Crops such as grapes require a great deal of manual labor. Vineyard owners hire seasonal workers to perform the physical labor and confine their duties to supervisory and business tasks. In general, fruit farmers supervise the work, buy machinery and supplies, and train technicians and other workers. Many hire farm managers to run the agricultural aspects of the business. Fruit farmers whose crops can be planted and harvested by machine may invest their money in heavy equipment and hire few laborers. Fruit farmers may run the equipment themselves. During seasons when growing is not possible, fruit farmers overhaul equipment, repair farm buildings, and make plans for the next season. Some have jobs away from the farm to supplement their income.
Planting, raising, harvesting, and marketing are the essentials of every farmer’s job. Fruit is seldom planted from seed. Instead, shoots or cuttings are planted to develop new trees, bushes, or plants. New trees and vines may not yield fruit for several years after they are planted. Therefore, even farmers with established fruit farms must plant every year to replace trees that will die or become weak in the future.
Most fruit farmers use chemicals to get rid of pests and diseases in order to have a good harvest. Crops are sprayed or dusted by farm machines or by airplanes that fly over the crops. Some fruit farmers contract to have outside companies perform this work. Another necessary job in fruit farming is pruning, which is done by hand or with power tools. Pruning, or cutting back, is done so that the plants will produce high-quality fruit at harvest time.
After flooding the cranberry fields, fruit farmers operate beaters to remove the cranberries from the bushes.
Fruit is picked during the harvest season. Depending on the location and the crop, the harvest may last for just a few days or for several months. Marketing the crop wisely is crucial to successful fruit farming. Some fruit farmers are under contract to deliver their entire crop to food processors or distributing companies. Some sell their harvest through growers’ cooperatives. Others sell their own crops to food stores or at roadside stands, auctions, or farmers’ markets. Even with a good crop, the fruit farmer can lose money at the marketing stage if demand or prices are low.
Source of this article – careers.stateuniversity.com