Indian Summer Cooperative has three fruit processing plants in the Ludington/Hart, Michigan area. (Mason and Oceana Counties) We bottle and can a variety of local fruits and produce. Apples and cherries are our two main items. We also do peaches, plums, and blueberry puree along with asparagus seasonally.

Asparagus starts in early May ending in late May to early June. The asparagus season usually requires 40 - 50 people. Hours vary from 40 - 60 each week. Cherry season lasts approximately one month and begins in early July. It is our busiest time of the year. We can employ 200 - 250 people for the three plants, working six days a week, 10 hours each shift. Some jobs will work 7 days a week. August is our slowest time with limited number of jobs available for our puree production. The September apple harvest brings with it renewed hiring for 100 - 150 people. Work lasts until late winter or early spring with some people working year round.

The minimum starting pay is $7.40 an hour with other jobs starting higher. Overtime is paid automatically after 40 hours per week. A minimum raise of .25 is received after working 60 days. Some jobs received higher increases. We have Hispanic and bi-lingual people working as supervisors, quality control, machine operator, etc. Spanish is spoken in the personnel office. All work is done indoors. We supply all safety and job related equipment free. We provide paid break and lunch periods. The minimum age for work is 16 during cherry season and 18 the rest of the year. We pay on Friday each week for all hours worked the previous week. Worker's Compensation and unemployment is also available for work related injuries and seasonal layoffs.

We do not have seasonal housing available, but there is housing available at area farms and rental houses. A strong Hispanic support group is available in Hart, Shelby and Manistee Michigan. They offer job search help, translation aid, housing information and guidance. The Shelby Migrant Center offers health and dental care, x-ray, child care and summer school for the kids. The local Department of Human Service is also available to help.