Tad Kuntz, farm market and orchard manager at Masonic Village in Elizabethtown, has an occupational hazard. Whenever he travels, he has to stop at the local farm market just to see what they have. "I live, eat and breathe this business," he stated. "It's not a job for me. It's a lifestyle."

Kuntz's passion for produce has paid off. He received the Outstanding Grower of the Year award from the State Horticultural Association of Pennsylvania (SHAP) during its annual Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Convention in February.

The award was a surprise for Kuntz, who said it's even sweeter because he was chosen the winner by his peers in the industry. "A peer-selected award is very special to me," he said. "I have built many relationships with my agricultural peers over the years, and knowing they appreciate and respect what I have contributed is a true honor."

Agriculture is in Kuntz's blood. A fourth-generation fruit grower, he was raised working on his family's 650-acre farm in Adams County. His father, two uncles, grandfather and great-grandfather were fruit growers, and his grandfather won the same award in 1997.

Kuntz has worked at Masonic Village since 1990. His title is "manager," but he's done almost every job in the farm market and orchard, from growing trees to running the cash register. He oversees a 50-acre orchard that includes 30 varieties of peaches, 63 varieties of apples, sweet and tart cherries, pears, apricots, plums, kiwi and pumpkins. He was elected to the board of SHAP, where he has held every office, including president, and he has served on the Pennsylvania Farm Show Food Court Committee, among other volunteer service. He's been helping at the Pennsylvania Farm Show since he was 8 years old, when he stood on a milk crate to make change. In January, he completed his 45th year as a volunteer there.

Kuntz said he can't imagine doing anything else for a living. "I have a scientific brain, and I've always been intrigued by what makes things work, what makes things tick," he stated, noting that he has a Bachelor of Science in horticulture. "My passion is plants." He said his favorite fruit changes with the season, and he loves the fact that agriculture is an evolving field. "There is still so much to discover," he said of new varieties of fruits.

Kuntz lives in Mount Wolf with his wife, Heidi. Although none of his three grown daughters plans to go into the business, he isn't worried. He still has a lot of years ahead of him as a fruit grower.

"I'm not saying that I don't have bad days at work, but 98% of my days I really enjoy this job," he remarked. "Not a lot of people can say that."