Vineyard Associate

Job description

General Scope of Work: the ability to plant, prune, train vines, weed, harvest grapes, maintain fencing and trellis. Operate tractor, forklift, maintain netting, till, minor maintenance of tractor, forklift, tiller, and trailer, maintain drip system, take soil samples, vineyard cleaning, make plantable stems, remove non-performing plants. Willingness to learn, team oriented. Ability to work outside in extreme heat or freezing temperatures.

Kuhlken Farms Limited is petitioning for one (1) H2A worker because they meet the definition of Seasonal Need* whereby wine grapes, are tied to a season of the year that is recurring in nature as noted below:
Major crops and Crop Management for Winemaking Grapes
• July- August: Weeding, mowing, watering, daily check of ground moisture, trellis maintenance, trimming grapevines; Cluster management, shoot management and canopy management.
• September - October: Preparing for harvest. As fruit ripens, efforts include maturity checks, testing fruit for ripeness, netting vines. Hand harvesting of grapes.
• November – January: Engage in winterizing activities of vineyard and necessary, maintain water drip system and make repairs as necessary.
• February – March: training and pruning vines; repairing water drip system, readying materials for additional trellis, buildout, engaging in trellis buildout, grape planting, hoeing.
• April – June: Cluster management, shoot management and canopy management. Weeding, mowing, watering, daily check of ground moisture, trellis maintenance, trimming grapevines.

Equipment used to perform job duties include, but not limited to clippers, hoe, spade, pliers, wrench, screwdriver, cutting knife, gloves, tractor, hand truck, tiller, trailer, forklift, lawn mower, etc. All equipment and tools used in the performance of row crops and vineyard duties are provided by employer.