Field Workers/picker (citrus And Avocado)

Job description

Start Time: 6:30 am
End Time: 3:30 am
Start time and end times vary each day based on harvest needs, crop activity, weather and other factors. Employees will be told in advance of the following day’s start time and location.

Agricultural products: AVOCADO, VALENCIA ORANGE, GRAPEFRUIT, SWEET LIME, REED AVOCADO, KUMQUATS, GOLDEN NUGGET, PINK LEMON, LEMON, GUAYABA, ATEMOYA, BUDDA HAND, MANDARINA, CARA-CARA

Field Workers to perform the following duties: HARVESTING, PRUNING, FERTILIZING, LAND CLEARING, PACKING and WEED SPRAYING.

Avocado picking:
Harvest Avocados using 28-40 ft. ladders and 9-12 ft. picking poles. Using hand clippers, clip branches and stems of avocado trees and place some avocados in picking bag. Pick up loose avocados off the ground and place in picking bags. Carry bags to bins located on roads. The avocado season is from February through September, depending on the amount of fruit and weather.

Citrus picking:
Harvest citrus using ladders, hand clippers and a picking bag. The worker will clip or pull citrus, depending on the type of pick and will place inside the picking bag. Carry the bags to the bin located on roads.

Sweet lime picking:
Harvest sweet lime using ladders, hand clippers and a picking bag. The worker will clip or pull the sweet lime, depending on the type of pick and will place inside the picking bag. Carry the bags to the bin located on roads. Sweet Lime season is from March to August.

Grove Maintenance (Pruning/fertilizing/land clearing):
Field workers will also do grove maintenance including pruning, fertilizing, land clearing. Workers will also pack citrus and avocados. The pruning will be done with either hand clippers or with an extension pole with a clipper on the end. As pruning will be done in a standing position, the workers will not be using the clippers in a stooped, kneeling, or squatting position. Pruning tasks are intermittent and will not exceed more than 20% of the workers’ scheduled hours.

Land clearing will be done with either a long-handled hoe (4 feet or longer) or a 22-inch machete. The workers will be in a standing position. Some land clearing will be done by hand by moving trees that have been knocked down and cut into pieces; this task requires the go from a standing to squatting position throughout the day. This task will be intermittent and will not exceed more than 20% of the workers’ scheduled hours.

Citrus Packing:
Avocado and Citrus Packing will consist of grading, packing, and stacking fruit into boxes and onto pallets. The work will be done from a standing position. They will not require any tools for this job. This task will be intermittent and will not exceed more than 20% of the workers’ scheduled hours.

100% of the crop is owned by the Serrato family entities. Packing will be done both in the field and in a packing shed, which is located on a farm at Rancho el Guayabo, 12928 Muutama Road, Valley Center, CA 92082 (GPS coordinates 33.313302 -117.052772), one of the worksite locations listed in this job order.

Serrato and Son, Inc assures that it will abide by rest period requirements in accordance with 8 Cal. Code Regulations 3456(c)(4). Employer assures it will provide gloves, any tools needed, and training in prevention of work-related injuries, at no cost to workers.

Weed Spraying:
Weed Spraying will be done with backpack sprayers that are 3-4 gallons in size. The employees will be given all of the necessary training required to handle, mix, and apply any and all chemicals used. The Employees will also be provided all of the personal protective equipment needed to perform this job.

Special Requirements

No experience harvesting avocado and citrus is required. Specific requirements include lifting up to 60-90 pounds frequently and being able to use hand tools, including cutting knives. Cannot be color blind due to the need to distinguish colors of crops. Must be able to use hand clippers and work on high ladders on hillsides. Must be able to carry ladders and cannot be afraid of heights.