Farmworkers/laborers

Job description

This job requires harvest and associated field work for apples and pears.

APPLES/PEARS Harvest: The Worker will hand harvest apples and pears; this can be performed from a motorized platform and/or from the ground or a ladder. The Worker will attach harness, bucket or bag and pick low hanging fruit while standing on the ground and higher branches while standing on a ladder. The Worker will pick according to grade, color and size by grasping fruit with the hands and removing it from the tree in a motion so as not to harm adjacent buds on the tree branches. The Worker will carry harness, bucket or bag of up to 60 lbs. and will place fruit into wooden bins, 4'x4'x3' feet, which hold approximately 25 bushels of fruit. Care must be exercised at all times to prevent bruising fruit or breaking of branches. The Worker may be required to examine harvested fruit in bins and sort out any fruit not meeting the grade, color and size specifications. The Worker must possess the ability to pick-up; handle a 10 ft. or 12 ft. orchard ladder weighing up to 40 pounds.

THINNING: Thinning is a manual process used to control the size and quality of grown fruit. The Worker must possess the ability to pick up, handle a 10 ft. or 12 ft. orchard ladder weighing 40 pounds. Furthermore, the Worker must be able to use scissor like clippers. This process requires the Worker to remove, in some cases not limited to, the smallest fruit blossom, bud and/or identifiable fruit from within a cluster of other fruits. The Worker will be expected to be able to identify and remove fruit that is misshapen, damaged and/or with other quality problems as directed by supervisors. Thinning may be performed from a motorized platform and/or from the ground or a ladder.

TRAINING: Training is a process in which the fruit tree is manipulated to increase yield and/or quality. The Worker must possess ability to pick up, handle a 10 ft. or 12 ft. orchard ladder weighing 40 pounds. Training may be performed from a motorized platform and/or from the ground or ladder. Some example training tasks are but not limited to: Tying, taping or clipping apple or pear limbs to wires. Tying up or down apple or pear limbs. Training and limb positioning of apple and pear trees. Shoot thinning, sucker removal, cluster thinning, shoot positioning, hedging, or leaf removal. Propping and supporting apple and pear trees.

Special Requirements

3 months of verifiable tree fruit experience required.