Farm Worker

Job description

This job requires a minimum of three (3) months of prior agricultural field work experience, handling both manual and machine tasks associated with commodity production and harvest activities. Workers must perform manual and mechanized activities with accuracy and efficiency.

Workers will drive tractors to disc, mow and spray orchard; prune apple, pear, cherry, and peach trees; thin and harvest apples, peaches, apricots, pears, and cherries at correct ripeness; move heavy 8" irrigation pipe; pack fruit in the field and the packing shed. Workers must be physically able to pick tree fruit, most from ladders, with lower branches being picked from the ground. Picked fruit is placed in a metal-framed canvas-covered picking bucket with canvas straps that slip over the head and rest on the shoulders. A filled bucket weighing up to 35 lbs. is emptied into bulk bins. When necessary, workers are required to handle and pick from ladders up to 12 ft. in length and weighing 10 to 15 pounds. Worker places ladder firmly against or within trees in a secure position so as not to break limbs or knock off fruit and to prevent slipping or falling. Fruit must be handled with care to avoid bruising. Each tree will be picked according to instructions given each day by the orchard foreman. Workers must be able to keep pace with the balance of the crew, maintaining productivity at a minimum of 100 bushels of fruit per 8-hour shift during harvest.

Primary duty will be to harvest fruit; however other duties may be required, including hand thinning fruit, picking roots, rocks, and other debris, mulching, pruning, cutting shoots and suckers, raking cuttings and debris, inserting/removing tree spreaders, pulling or cutting thorny plants, weeds and vines from around trees (some weeds may be noxious), hand placement of rodent baits around trees, operation and maintenance of tractors and other equipment, cleaning and clearing fence rows and farm buildings. May load and unload trucks, install irrigation equipment, and clean equipment. The employer expects workers to work with or without supervision on such tasks.

Must safely maneuver ladders up to 12 ft. in length on steep and uneven terrain. Must be experienced in distinguishing between apple varieties and be able to spot pick trees for acceptable color. Field supervision monitors workers to ensure fruit is not bruised in picking. Must be able to sort out fruit with defects.

Work will also include heavy mechanized orchard work using power equipment. Power equipment may consist of tractors, sprayers, planters, and cultivators. Workers are expected to be able to operate agricultural equipment with or without direction. Workers must be able to perform all duties of entry-level workers as well as perform additional mechanized activities with accuracy and efficiency.

Special Requirements

Pick fruit from 12 ft. ladders that weigh 10-15 lbs. Keep pace with crew, maintaining productivity of 100 bushels of fruit per 8 hr shift. Three months agricultural field work experience, handling manual and machine tasks with production and harvest activities is required. Employer will provide zero days of training and allow zero days of work for workers to reach production standards.
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Recoja fruta de escaleras de 12 pies que pesen 10-15 libras. Mantenga el ritmo con la tripulacin, manteniendo la productividad de 100 bushels de fruta por turno de 8 horas. Se requieren tres meses de experiencia en trabajo de campo agrcola, manejo de tareas manuales y mquinas con actividades de produccin y cosecha. El empleador proporcionar cero das de capacitacin y permitir cero das de trabajo para que los trabajadores alcancen los estndares de produccin.