Apple Harvesters

Job description

This job requires harvest and associated field work for apples.
Apples Harvest: The Worker will hand harvest apples; 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 picks 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 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, 47 x 47 x 24.5 inches, which hold approximately 25 bushels of fruit. Care must be exercised at all times to prevent bruising of 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.

PRUNING: Pruning numerous varieties of apple trees according to established company procedures based on the difference in the treatment of different varieties. Work will be performed on trees for long periods of time using a variety of pruning equipment including but not limited to hand shears, hand loppers, hand saws. Furthermore, the worker must possess ability to pick up, handle a 10 ft. or 12 ft. orchard ladder weighing 40 pounds.
Pruning may be done from the ground or a ladder up to 12 feet in height or from a motorized platform. The Worker may be required to selectively prune only trees of a certain size and color as instructed by the crew supervisor.

The Worker is expected to possess or acquire pruning skills in order to identify and remove stubs or broken branches, downward-growing branches, branches which rub against each other, shaded interior branches, dead wood and shoots/suckers with hand pruning saws and clippers, mechanized equipment in pruning activities.

Special Requirements

Minimum Job Qualifications: 3 months experience working with tree fruit. Specific requirements include lifting up to 60 pounds frequently and able to use hand tools. Must be able to work when temperatures are below freezing and above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Must be able to extensively pull and/or push tools, wheelbarrows, fruit containers, etc. Work involves sitting and/or walking for extensive periods of time while sorting, picking, examining, weeding, transporting, pruning, etc. Workers will be required to stoop and/or bend over while performing farm labor such as weeding, irrigating, pruning, picking, removing debris, etc. There will be repetitive movements while performing most of the farm labor duties, for example picking, sorting, pruning, shoveling, weeding, etc.