Work in Maine

[ridgewalker777]

Just thought I'd recommend a possibility to A/T hikers who need or want to work in Maine, the apple orchards must hire you if you apply--wage is 9.01 an hour, free lodging--the work is demanding--not a problem for most fit hikers. Also, the blueberry harvest goes for about a month in August, a lot of demand for help especially toward Machias--wages are piece-rate--some kids even make over 100 bucks a day....

[chknfngrs]

cider house rules

[Flash Hand]

Just thought I'd recommend a possibility to A/T hikers who need or want to work in Maine, the apple orchards must hire you if you apply--wage is 9.01 an hour, free lodging--the work is demanding--not a problem for most fit hikers. Also, the blueberry harvest goes for about a month in August, a lot of demand for help especially toward Machias--wages are piece-rate--some kids even make over 100 bucks a day....

where? close to AT?

Flash Hand

[MisterSweetie]

the apple orchards must hire you if you apply

They really must hire? That's pretty cool... How long is the work season?

[ridgewalker777]

There are a number of orchards in the Auburn-Lewiston area, near Farmington and elsewhere around the state. I have worked at Apple Farm in Skowhegan. The problem is, the farm owner would rather hire Jamaicans AKA working machines, therefore the bar has been raised for employment. A number of the farms require an 8 bushel an hour quota probationary period for a couple days. The trees are not generally hard picking and 2004 has been a good harvest for apples. Because they are importing the otherwise illegal Carribean residents, they must give Americans a shot! Personally I think it is an outrage that Ricker Hill Orchard has 72 Jamaicans and 0 Americans!
On the blueberry harvest, you can contact foremen that have contracts with Wyman or Cherryfield Foods in Cherryfield, Maine. Those are the best fields to work in August. There are other family operations which generally do not have great fields, but you can still make money. I worked in the Cherryfield area one year, Franklin, Maine another. There are other operations in western Maine. On a really good year, blueberry "rakers" can average 200 bucks a day. But you have to be on the right crew in a year where the harvest is good--which is not the case for blueberries in 2004.