Owners:
Dan and Karen Paulus:
Dan and Karen bought the orchard on July 1st 1999. Dan grew up on a farm as a child and studied agri-business in college. After college, and prior to the purchase of the farm, he worked for Perdue Farms. Karen is at the farm a lot too. You will find her in the store, giving school tours, in the upick area, or in PlayLand. Karen studied chemistry in college and has taught high school chemistry and also taught part-time at Messiah College for several years.
Farm Manager:
Andrew Settle:
Andrew started with us in July, 2013. Dan is thrilled to have Andrew’s help around the farm. Andrew leads production including leading a crew of 9 guys in trimming, picking, and farm care. We couldn’t be happier to have him as part of our team.
Retail Manager:
Alison Harper:
Alison joined our team in 2016 and has quickly become an integral part of the team. She does a lot of the behind-the-scenes work with office management, orders, and training new staff as well as overseeing the store and kitchen/bakery operations. Her favorite part of working at the orchard is seeing our younger customers smile as they pick pumpkins, find apples, and enjoy ice cream. Outside of work, you might find Alsion cheering on the Seattle Seahawks or perfecting her quilting skills.
Assistant Kitchen Manager:
Cynthia Huth:
Cynthia joined us in the fall of 2015. Cynthia oversees all of our food production such as homemade apple pies & dumplings as well as made-from-scratch soups and apple chili. She also oversees the kitchen staff and encourages and coaches all team members.
Assistant Farm Store Manager:
Diane Barbin:
Diane joined our team in 2016 and quickly made the jump to being an outstanding team member. Diane is the photo genius behind all of our instagram posts…she takes amazing pictures! Diane also oversees product inventory and staff training for our store staff.
CSA Manager:
Elayna Barton:
Elayna started with us in the summer of 2014. Elayna helps with many different things at the orchard and oversees all of the CSA box packing. She is currently enrolled at HACC with plans to transfer to Millersville University and finish her degree in Early Elementary Education. Her favorite orchard snack is a Chocolate and Moose Tracks milkshake. As a little girl she used to visit Paulus to pick fruit with her mom, and we are so grateful that now they both work here!
Part-Time Staff in Alphabetical Order:
Renee A., Farm Store Cashier & U-Pick Cashier:
Renee joined our team in 2019 as a farm store and U-Pick cashier. She enjoys helping our customers as well as the beauty of the orchard, especially in the peaceful mornings out at U-Pick. Renee also works as an ESL aid for the Cumberland Valley School district and plays clarinet in both the Carlisle Town Band and the Greater Harrisburg Concert Band.
Kim B., Farm Store Cashier:
Kim started working at the orchard in 2020 and loves working with so many wonderful people – including her daughter Elayna! Prior to working with us, she was a microbiologist and then a substitute teacher at Northern High School. While she enjoys working at the farm, Kim also likes gardening, fishing, and camping and she hopes to camp in as many U.S. National Parks as possible!
Zach B., Kitchen Assistant & Farm Store Cashier:
Zach joined our team in 2019. He has helped us both in the store and kitchen as well as in the fall display shed where we sold mums, straw bales, and other fall decorations. He’s been a great addition to the farm! Zach is currently a senior at Northern High School where he is a member of both the football and basketball team and has plans to attend Penn State Altoona.
Ian B., Farm Assistant:
Ian joined the team in 2017 as a store cashier. Now he helps Dan and Andrew with all kinds of jobs…picking pumpkins, washing pumpkins, picking blueberries, tying up blackberry and raspberry plants…you name it. He’s very willing to help in any way he can. Ian is currently pursuing a degree that will teach him how to own and operate an orchard/vineyard.
Kevin B., Farm Store Cashier:
Kevin is Ian’s younger brother and joined our team in 2019. He’s very polite and kind. He enjoys helping our guests find what they need.
Abby C., Kitchen Assistant & Farm Store Cashier:
Abby joined our team in 2018 and is a perfect example of what it means to give great service. She not only works in the store and kitchen helping our customers, she enjoys art and makes some of our more creative signs and displays. Abby’s favorite apple is the Crimson Crisp (we agree that if you haven’t tried one, you’re missing out). She loves to bake and listen to music. She currently attends the University of Lynchburg to learn to be a Physican’s Assistant. We miss her a lot, but we’re very proud of her!
Andrew C., Kitchen Assistant:
Andrew joined our team in 2020 as a Kitchen Assistant and has since taken on numerous other tasks. Prior to working at Paulus, he graduated from Slippery Rock University and worked in the Entertainment industry. He remembers picking strawberries as a customer and now loves working alongside our other employees, talking with customers, and eating some apple dumplings and chicken corn soup.
Nicklaus C., Donut Maker:
Nick first started as a “corn cop” in 2015. He was one of the people that would help you get out of the maze if you were lost. He has decided that being the donut king is more his calling. He makes more donuts at our orchard than anyone else so if you’ve had an apple cider donut, there’s a good chance he made it. Nick also helps make many of the other delicious treats we sell at the farm such as soups and baked goods.
Nate C., Farm Store Cashier:
Nate joined our team in 2019. Fun fact – his mom worked in the store back in 2015 too! He is currently in college at Penn State University majoring in Geographical Information Systems, and we are always excited when he comes home and helps out. Nate also enjoys staying active whether skiing, running, or playing tennis and enjoys exploring new places with his friends.
Sharon C., Farm Educator & Kitchen Assistant:
Sharon joined us in 2015 and does a phenomenal job co-teaching our summer reading program, Little Farmer’s Class, as well as many of our school tours. It’s no surprise she does a great job since she used to be an elementary teacher for 37 years! When she is not at the orchard, Sharon enjoys reading, trying new recipes, and spending spring days in her garden.
Beverly C., Kitchen Assistant:
Beverly joined the team in 2018 and is an integral part of our main “cooking crew” that makes all of the soups, pies, dumplings, and other baked goods. Since working at the orchard, she has enjoyed learning more about cooking and preserving foods, and she loves to go pick berries. Outside of the orchard, Beverly likes hiking and traveling.
Susan D., Donut Maker & Kitchen Assistant:
Susan joined us in 2016 and is neck-in-neck with Nicklaus as far as how many donuts they each have made – she’s definitely made thousands! We’re just thrilled to have her as part of our “cooking crew” that makes quite the variety of delicious foods in the kitchen. She enjoys reading, hiking, and spinning wool, and she cannot wait to visit one of her daughters out in Denver, Colorado.
Pat D., Farm Store Cashier & U-Pick Cashier:
Pat joined the team in 2017 and really enjoys seeing our guests and helping them find exactly what they are looking for. She also loves helping in the pick-your-own area of the farm – you might see her at either the apple shed or the pumpkin shed in the fall. She is very artistic as well and has sold some of her paintings, earrings, coasters, and ornaments at the farm.
Caleb D., Kitchen Assistant:
Caleb and Nathan (brothers) make a great team. Caleb joined our team in 2017 and his brother, Nathan, joined in 2019. Caleb is excellent in remaining calm in stressful situations (we try not to have too many of those but every business will have them from time to time!). He’s also very polite and we enjoy having him on the team.
Nathan D., Kitchen Assistant:
Nathan is Caleb’s younger brother and joined our team in 2019. Nathan does a fabulous job. We’re super excited that he’s joined his brother at the farm.
Abby D., Kitchen Assistant & Produce Display:
Abby joined us in 2016 while she was still in high school. She’s now in college and returns over the summers to help us out. She is super energetic and just a fun person to be around. We love having her help!
Jo F., Farm Educator:
Jo joined us in the fall of 2015. Jo loves honey bees and was able to get up close and personal with them on a tour she herself took at an apiary! Fun Fact – her daughter Chelsey worked for us from 2011-2016. ABC came to do a story at the orchard and Chelsey, who had just graduated with a degree in broadcasting, was able to connect and started working for ABC shortly thereafter. How awesome is that? Jo learned about the farm through Chelsey working here and decided it would be fun to come join the team too. She is super at teaching our young visitors all about bees and agriculture!
Hope G., Farm Store Cashier:
Hope joined our team in 2020. She currently attends Trinity High School and enjoys playing tennis and doing cheer. Her favorite time of the year is summer, which is the perfect season for our blackberries – her favorite fruit from the farm. Hope enjoys working at Paulus because of how friendly and nice everyone is.
Maddy H., Farm Store Cashier:
Maddy started working at the orchard in 2020 as one of our cashiers. We are so thankful to have her apart of our team and for all of her hard work. She is currently in high school where is a member of the swim team as well as the track and field team.
Mikayla I., Farm Store Cashier, Produce Display, & Kitchen Assistant:
Mikayla joined us in 2015 and has taken on different roles over the years. She recently graduated from Messiah University with her degree in Communication and continues to help out at the orchard. Her favorite part of the job is interacting with customers and meeting new employees. In her free time, she enjoys skiing, biking, and going to lunch at Pizza Town with Karen.
Elizabeth K., Farm Store Cashier:
Elizabeth became a member of our team in 2020. She is a great cashier and enjoys helping all those who visit the orchard. Elizabeth is a fan of our apple cider donuts and enjoys U-pick blueberries – every year her and her mom pick five buckets! She is currently a sophomore at Northern High School where she stays involved with numerous extracurriculars, including the track and field team.
Rebecca K., Maze and U-Pick Cashier:
Rebecca joined us in 2016 and is one of the most outgoing, friendly people you’ll ever meet. She loves the outdoors and being at the farm and we hope you get to meet her when you visit!
Luke M., Kitchen Assistant:
Luke joined our team in 2018 and has a super desire to work hard and give his best. We love that! We’re happy to have his help. The next time you get a milkshake he may be the one making it for you!
Abigail P., Produce Display:
Abigail has been a great addition to our team! Both her and her sister Hope joined our team in 2019 and we are so thankful for her hard work. Abigail is a talented dancer who started with the Pennsylvania Regional Ballet and now attends the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.
Anna P., Produce Display:
Anna joined her older sisters and started working at the farm in 2020. She is a great addition to our team in helping to keep the store stocked and answering questions. Anna is a big fan of Dan’s kettle corn and loves working and spending time with her coworkers.
Hope P., Farm Store Cashier & Produce Display:
Hope, just like her sisters, is an extremely hard worker and willing to help out with any task or new project at the orchard. She is a current student at Commonwealth Charter Academy and loves being outdoors. Hope is a big fan of Dan’s chicken and one of her favorite memories is when she got to sort through strawberries with Karen and some of her other coworkers while jammin’ to music.
Luke R., Kitchen Assistant & Farm Store Cashier:
Luke joined us in 2017. Like many of our staff, Luke has worked hard and had a strong desire to learn new things and now helps us in almost all areas of the business. Luke helps pack the CSA boxes, helps in the store and the kitchen, helps with pick-your-own, and has also helped Dan in the field from time to time. Luke is currently a student at the University of Pittsburgh where he studies finance. Outside of school and work you can probably find Luke on the golf course.
Dean R., CSA Delivery Driver:
Dean’s been driving the CSA truck for us since 2016. We’re so thankful to have his help. He is the friendly guy bringing all the boxes of produce to the host families. Dean has also helped us at the you-pick-apple shed on some of our busiest weekends.
Silas R., Produce Display:
Silas started with us in 2020 but always looked forward to visiting as a little kid and picking blueberries. He now enjoys spending some of his shifts working outside in the summer and fall, his favorite season. Silas is also a fan of skiing up the road at Roundtop Mountain Resort and likes to stop at the orchard on his way home to pick up some apple cider donuts and hot cider.
Elijah S., Kitchen Assistant & Farm Store Cashier:
Elijah started working at the farm in 2016. Elijah is a fabulous example of how to give great customer service. He always goes above and beyond and is happy to help in any way he can. Elijah also has some younger siblings….maybe we’ll be fortunate enough to have them come our way!
Rachel S., Kitchen Assistant & Donut Maker:
We were so excited to have Rachel join our team in 2020 where she gets to let her kitchen skills shine! As much as she enjoys making our apple cider donuts, they are also her favorite orchard treat. Rachel has also been homeschooling her daughters for 13 years and is a skilled florist. She absolutely loves dachshunds (especially the two she has) and hopes to travel across the country one day.
Stephanie S., Kitchen Assistant:
Stephanie joined our team in 2020, and we are so thankful for her help in the kitchen making soups, pies, dumplings, and more. Stephanie also does commercial embroidery and loves quilting and sewing – before working for us, she actually sold her crafts at one of our blueberry festivals!
Willow S., Corn Cop & Produce Display:
Willow started in the fall of 2019 as a corn cop – she was one of the super people that helps you get out of the corn maze if you are lost! Once the fall season ended, Willow transitioned into the store and helps to keep the store produce stocked.
Kirk S., U-Pick Cashier & Farm Educator:
Kirk joined us in 2019 and helped with u-pick as well as group tours. Kirk worked for us while he was in transition between full-time jobs and we are very appreciative for all the time he was able to give!
Jack (Woody) W., Tractor Driver:
Woody also joined our team in 2019 and loves to give wagon rides to all of our group tours and our guests on festival weekends.
Shannon Z., Farm Store Cashier & Produce Display:
Shannon started working at the farm in 2020 and has been a great addition to our team. She is super willing to help with new tasks and loves talking with both new and returning customers. Her favorite apple is Golden Delicious, and she really enjoys (and recommends) all the U-pick options we offer. Shannon is also the executive director of a young adult ministry nonprofit and likes to stay active in her free time.
