Potato Farmer

Job description

Crops/Commodities:
Potatoes, barley.
Assist with field preparation and harvesting activities. Grade and sortpotatoes after harvest. Operate potato washing machine. Cut and prepare potato seed. Separate potatoes and remove stems. Repair, maintain, wash, and sanitize potato storage buildings and other storage contains. Clear fields by picking up stones and any other foreign material. Lay irrigation pipe.
Inspect harvested potatoes on conveyor belt and/or roller table. Remove rotten or defective potatoes and remove debris and other foreign material. Keep all work areas clean by sweeping floors and sanitizing machinery and surface areas. Assist in unloading grain bins and sweeping floors.At the conclusion of planting, wash and sanitize potato seed cutting, fertilizing, and planting machinery.
At the conclusion of harvest, wash harvesting and potato handling equipment including but not limited to potato trucks.
Install/maintain irrigation systems and water lines. Move and install irrigation pipes and equipment.

Workers must operate all equipment properly and in a manner that protects operator, others, the employer's products and property. Workers who have a basic knowledge of how to use tools for the general maintenance and repairs of potato farm machinery including but not limited to potato trucks is optional but not required. General maintenance and repairs would include servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles. Failure to comply with safety requirements and operating instructions may result in disciplinary action up to and including immediate termination.
To keep the buildings warm, workers must be capable to learn how to operate firewood processing machine from logs harvested on the farm.
Mow, cut, and weed fields. Perform ditching, shoveling, hoeing, hauling, ground preparation, and other manual tasks. Workers must have a general tractor operating experience. Bending, stooping and kneeling required. Use hand tools including but not limited to hoes, shovels, shears, clippers, loppers, weed whackers, and saws. Lift, carry, and load/unload products or supplies. Assist with farm building/field maintenance and repairs.

Must wear assigned personal protective equipment when required. Must report for work daily wearing work clothing and boots or other durable foot wear. Workers wearing clothing inappropriate for work will not be permitted to start work.

Outdoor work required when plants are wet, or during light rain, snow, moderate winds, direct sun, high humidity and extreme temperatures. Temperatures in fields during working hours may vary. 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. Work is done outdoors for long periods of time and requires prolonged periods of standing and/or walking, repetitive movements, and frequent bending and/or stooping. Workers must be able to handle, lift, and carry heavy or bulky objects (product, containers) in accordance with the specified lifting requirements.
Employer-paid upon suspicion drug testing is required upon reasonable suspicion of use. Workers with a clean driving record (no major moving violations such as but not limited to Driving While Intoxicated or Reckless Driving) and able to obtain an insurable driver's license may drive company vehicles. Load and unload agricultural products or crops onto trucks, drive trucks to haul crops, supplies, tools, and/or equipment/supplies to Ayotte Farms locations on private roads or public roads. Drive trucks (under 26K lb. GVW) with Farm Use tags. Workers are required to drive or learn to operate manual transmission (stick shift) trucks.

Special Requirements

This job requires a minimum of 3 months of agricultural experience working in a potato and grain farm handling both manual and mechanized tasks including operating agricultural equipment, agricultural field work, field crop production and harvesting activities associated with production of barley and potatoes. 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. Employer-paid upon suspicion drug testing required. Workers with clean driving record and/or insurable driver's license may be required to drive company vehicles.