Orchard Workers

Job description

Manually cultivate and harvest peaches; plant peach trees and pecan trees. Perform ongoing peach and pecan orchard maintenance including pruning and thinning trees. Operate and maintain farm vehicles and equipment. Use hand tools such as clippers, shovels, trowels, hoes, tampers, pruning hooks, shears and knives. Till soil, transplant, weed, thin and prune crops; clean and load harvested products; count and check in field; cut and drag broken limbs from field and mow; remove any vines, suckers, shoots or debris that may deter the function or growth of trees. Set up and operate irrigation equipment. Clear, install and maintain irrigation system. Operate tractors, tractor-drawn machinery, forklift and self-propelled machinery to plow, harrow and fertilize soil, or to plant, cultivate, spray and harvest crops, to load bins or pallets of produce. Workers must be at least 18 years of age to operate heavy farm equipment such as forklifts and tractors. Drive vehicles to haul crops, supplies, tools, or farm workers on or off the farm. Construct or repair trellising. Repair farm buildings, structures and fences. Maintain farm vehicles, implements, and mechanical equipment. Apply pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers to crops. Inform orchard managers of crop progress.Record information about crops, such as pesticide use and yields. Workers must have a general understanding of how pruning affects competition with fruiting wood and how thinning is done to provide nutrition to the developing fruit. Improper pruning can cause problems with fruit load, fruit size, disease severity, and overall production. Receive, grade, sort or classify peaches by size, weight, color, or condition. Remove leaves from peaches and cull defective fruit as defined by grading standards as peaches move across grading tables. Discard inferior or defective peaches and/or foreign matter. Place graded fruit in appropriate containers by attending automatic filler or by hand according to grade and pack style. Mark grade, style or size on containers. Place filled containers on conveyors or in specified areas. Stack filled containers on pallets by prescribed pattern and height according to size, grade, brand, label or other identification. Apply strapping or other stabilizing materials to finished pallets manually with hand tools or using automatic equipment. Record product, packaging and order information on specified forms and records. Apply tags or printed labels to containers. Measure, weigh, count and record finished products. Examine and inspect containers, and materials to ensure that packing specifications are met. Assemble cartons, inserts, crates and containers by hand or using container assembly machinery. Clean containers, materials, supplies, or work areas using cleaning solutions and hand tools. Workers must harvest fruit of desired ripeness and use care when harvesting not to damage or bruise produce. Assist with Good Agricultural Practices policies.

Allergies to ragweed, goldenrod, honey bees, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, or related chemicals may affect a worker's ability to perform the job. Persons seeking employment in this position must be available for the entire period requested by the employer. Employer reserves the right to discharge an obviously unqualified worker, malingerer or recalcitrant worker who is physically able but is unwilling to perform the work necessary for the employer to grow a premium quality product, or for any other lawful reason. Coin operated laundry machines located on Pearson Farm premises available for workers who do not wish to use free laundry equipment provided in each housing unit.

Employer may request, but not require, workers to work more than the stated daily hours and/or on a worker's Sabbath or federal holidays. Workers will have an unpaid lunch break. Worker must report to work at designated time and place each day.

Special Requirements

Two months of verifiable fruit orchard experience required. Work is outside in inclement weather, especially extreme heat or cold, for extensive periods of time. Perform prolonged bending, standing, walking, use of repetitive hand movements while grading or spreading fertilizer, use a stool or 2 ft. ladder to reach tree limbs, reach over head for extended periods of time while pruning trees, lift, carry, and load up to 50 lbs., hoist up to 30 lbs. over head, support 35 lbs. over the shoulder while walking for prolonged periods of time. Must be 18 or older. Employer is a drug free workplace. Drug testing is conducted post hire at the employers expense and is not part of the interview process. Negative results are required before starting work.