Farmworker

Job description

Crops/Commodities:
Winter and summer squash, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, watermelons, cantaloupes, turnips, and greens.
Plant, cultivate, and harvest fruits and vegetables. Use hand tools including, but not limited to: shovels, hoes and knives. Plant roots, seeds and bulbs. Spread plastic or other groundcovering. Clean plastic by hand from ground upon removal. Till soil. Weed and thin plants. Transplant plants by hand. Stake/tie plants, trellis/prune plants, and set poles and wires for vine plants. Pick, cut, lift, or pull crops. Tie vegetables in bunches. Grade, size and field pack product. Take care to prevent damaging produce and plants. Mow, cut, and weed fields. Perform ditching, shoveling, hoeing, hauling, ground preparation, and other manual tasks. Bending, stooping and kneeling required. Use hand tools including but not limited to hoes, shovels, shears, clippers, loppers, and saws. Lift, carry, and load/unload products or supplies. Use power equipment including but not limited to: tractors, planters, mowers, plows, sprayers, cultivators, power shears, chain saws, high lifts, fork lifts, skid loaders. Must operate agricultural equipment safely, with or without direction. Apply pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and other crop protectants. Mix and apply fertilizers, plant growth chemicals, conditioners, and other plant related treatments at the correct times depending on plant type, growth, climate and crop conditions. Assist with farm building/field maintenance and repairs. Put wildlife netting around vegetable areas to deter wildlife from foraging and defecating in the production areas. Repair fences. May use/handle ladders up to 10 feet in length and weighing up to 40 lbs. or work on a motorized platform in order to perform farm building maintenance or field repairs.

In addition, workers will plant seeds in greenhouses, transplant plants, lay plastic and drip tape, remove plastic from fields, cultivate and weed as needed. Workers must also stake/tie plants. Workers will pick vegetables and melons as they ripen. Workers will water the plants as needed. Assist with general greenhouse maintenance and repairs.

Grade and pack fruit by hand or with mechanized packing equipment, including but not limited to bagging machines, bin feeding machines, box machines, labeling machines, regular and high stacking forklifts. Sort graded fruit in appropriate containers according to packing instructions. Deliver pallets of finished product to cold storage. Load/unload product. Prepare orders for shipping. Keep material and product records accurately. Products must be handled carefully to prevent damage.

Work is done in the field for long periods of time. Workers may assist in handling product weighing up to 60 pounds and lifting to a height of 5 feet. Workers must work on their feet in bent positions for long periods of time. Work requires repetitive movements and extensive walking. Work required in fields when plants are wet with dew and rain, and may be required during light rain, snow, moderate winds, direct sun, high humidity and extreme temperatures. Temperatures in fields during working hours can range from 10 to over 100 degrees F. Workers may be required to work during occasional showers not severe enough to stop field operations. Allergies to ragweed, goldenrod, honey bees, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, or related chemicals may affect a worker's ability to perform the job.

Supervisor(s) will provide instructions and directions to workers. Workers must be able to comprehend and follow instructions and communicate effectively to supervisors. Unusual, complex or non-routine activities will be supervised. Workers expected to perform basic duties in a timely and proficient manner without close supervision.

Persons seeking employment in this position must be available for the entire period requested by the employer.

Special Requirements

Jobs offered are working in a commercial fruit farm or vegetable farm handling both manual and mechanized tasks including commodity production, field crop production and harvesting activities. Workers must be able to perform manual and mechanized tasks with accuracy and efficiency. Applicants must be able to furnish verbal or written statement establishing relevant prior work experience. Saturday work required. Must be able to lift/carry 60 lbs.