Agriculture, Forestry And Agricultural Equipment Operator

Job description

All applicants must be able, willing, and qualified to perform the work described in this job description and must be available for the entire period of employment specified in box A.3 & A.4. This work order is for qualified people with 2 months prior experience performing agricultural work and working in a commercial scale maple sugaring operation. The workers must be willing to work in cold weather as low as 10 degrees F and work on snow covered ground up to 3 feet. Workers will use precision tree-sap tapping equipment, operate agricultural equipment to include tractor with loader and rear mounted attachments, pick-up truck; and chainsaw. Workers may operate trucks or other multi-purpose vehicles to transport workers from housing (whether on or off farm) to the farm properties; haul tools, supplies, or crops; transport workers from place to place around the farm properties during the workday (including on public roads to reach farmer's fields); and/or transport workers to the grocery store, bank, or laundry facilities on an as-needed basis. Those that are requested to drive will be required to possess a valid driver’s license, no worker will be rejected for not having a driver's license. This position involves precision coring of "tap-holes" in trees; precision insertion and setting of spouts; crimping, cutting, and connecting food-grade flexible tubing; and installation and repairing of various diameter food-grade flexible pipe/tubing up to 2". Workers will clear brush install, replace and maintain & remove tubing systems, tap maple trees, evaluate health of sugar maples for potential sap production, monitor sap flow level in tubing, set and monitor filter press, pull taps at the end of the season and clean equipment on a regular basis. Work requires long periods of standing, bending and kneeling. Additional duties include harvesting of wild ramps, Balsam fir branches, and other non-timber forest products. Workers must be able to lift and carry up to 50 pounds and be available to work Monday through Saturday. The employer will provide 1 day of training and allow 2 days of work for the worker to satisfactorily perform all duties in this job order. Employer will furnish to workers without cost all tools and equipment required to perform duties assigned. Workers may require to work 9 hours shift between the hours of 7:00am - 7:00pm from Monday through Friday, and may require to work 5 hours shift between the hours of 7:00am - 7:00pm on a Saturday. Worker will be given 30 minutes for lunch. Beginning and ending times will vary depending on the conditions in the sugarbush. Workers must be able to read and write in English at a 3rd grade level in the United States.