Supervisors and guides often wear col-
orful or distinctive hats or jackets so
they can be easily identified.
 Ladders are usually considered a
necessity in pick-your-own orchards
that have full size trees. If growers,
however, pick the tops of large trees
before customers are allowed in the
orchard, no ladders are needed. In
some orchards of dwarf or semi-dwarf
trees no ladders are provided. Here
most of the fruit can be picked by per-
sons standing on the ground. This is
much safer for the customer. Any
remaining fruit in tree tops is then
picked by the grower or an employee.
Many pick-your-own operators keep
some ready-harvested produce to sell
to those who do not want to pick their
own or who want to buy more than
they have picked. Some orchardists
provide sturdy, wide-based step lad-
ders no more than six feet tall. They
then pick fruit left in tops of larger
trees with regular harvest crews.
 Either providing no ladders or short,
wide based ladders greatly reduces the
chances of injury. Inexperienced per-
sons working on tall ladders are much
more likely to fall than professional
fruit harvest crew members. In no
instance should pickers be allowed to
climb trees or stand on limbs when
harvesting fruit. Excessive tree dam-
age and danger of falls are two very
good reasons not to permit this prac-
tice. Good orchard supervision and
tactful suggestions will usually elimi-
nate much of the picker tree damage
and risk of falls from ladders.

EMPLOYEE TRAINING
 You should train all personnel who
work in the pick-your-own operation,
whether family members or hired help.
All employees should have some knowl-
edge about the crops grown, areas
being harvested, their location, etc.
 Field supervisors need to be con-
genial and helpful. They should show
people how to harvest to avoid dam-
age to trees, vines or plants. Pickers
usually appreciate instruction as to
proper stage of maturity, how to han-
dle produce without bruising and help-
ful hints on storage or preparation.
Check-in and check-out personnel
should be well-informed on usage of
produce. They can give out brochures


and printed recipe folders and suggest
sources of information such as the
Cooperative Extension Service. Per-
sonnel who may not know the answer
to a specific question should direct the
customer to another person who has
the information or knows where to
find the answer. Good relations with
customers are developed by friendly,
well-informed personnel. A training
program is the only sure way to have
this kind of employees.
 Employees can be trained individ-
ually or in groups by the owner or
manager. In larger operations the
group or class method will take
less of the owner's or manager's
time from other duties. All em-
ployees can usually benefit from
training. For the new employee it is
instruction in the normal operation
procedures. Included pricing policies,
cleanup specials, container sales, crops
grown and field locations, product uses,
how to handle and store fruit and
vegetables, how to harvest, safe ladder
use and other needed information.
How to greet people in a pleasant
manner and the need to be congenial


and helpful are also important items
to include in employee training.
 Each employee should have a defi-
nite area of responsibility and be pro-
vided with a full understanding of his
tasks. Good general training will per-
mit changing personnel from one job
to another as the need arises with a
minimum of retraining. Regular em-
ployees benefit from occasional re-
fresher sessions to update them on
changes in the operation and to keep
them in touch with management phi-
losophy.

CHECK-IN, CHECK-OUT
 Several methods of checking in and
checking out are in use, and almost
every pick-your-own operation has
some variation. One very successful
system utilizes a building through
which all must pass to and from the
fields. Fencing prevents other entry
and exit, and no cars are permitted in
the picking area. This system works
best with relatively compact or con-
centrated planting areas. Cars are then
kept in one central parking area, which
may be safer. It also avoids checking
trunks and back seats for extra pro-
duce. Dust created by traffic on field
roads can be annoying when cars are
driven to picking areas. The check-out
area can also be a place to sell ready-
harvested produce, snack foods, cold
drinks and other items. In some cases
these add up to a sizable increase
in sales.
 Moveable tables or stands with a
canopy or roof are often used for check-
ing pickers in and out. Sometimes two
are used, one for checking in and
another for checking out. This usually
speeds up the process and facilitates


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