Vineyard Worker

Job description

Crop Management for Winemaking Grapes: The ability to plant, prune, train vines, weed, harvest grapes, and maintain fencing and trellis. Operate tractor and forklift, maintain netting, till, minor maintenance of tractor, forklift, tiller, and trailer, maintain drip system, take soil samples, clean vineyard cleaning, make plantable stems, remove non-performing plants. Willingness to learn and be team-oriented.
• January – February 2025:
Pull up all vines impacted by the chemical (~ 10,000 vines); Pull up and out the entire trellis system; Pull up and out the entire drip irrigation water system; Engage in land clearing, leveling, and soil treatment to mitigate chemical impacts with new plantings; Re-install trellis system; Re-install drip irrigation water system; Load and haul off vines and material for burning so as not to affect any other vines, trees, etc.; Manually dig 10,000 holes and prep appropriately to place new rootstock upon arrival; Prep 5 new acres for 2026 plantings
• March 2025:
Upon the arrival of rootstock. Manually place each rootstock in a hole (~ 10,000 vines); Soil is then pushed back into the hole and tightly compacted by hand; Each rootstock is then hand-watered
• April: training and pruning vines; repairing water drip system, readying materials for additional trellis buildout; engaging in trellis buildout, grape planting, and hoeing; Cluster management, shoot management, and canopy management.
• May-August: Weeding, mowing, watering, daily check of ground moisture, trellis maintenance, trimming grapevines, Cluster management, shoot management, and canopy management. As the fruit ripens, efforts include maturity checks, testing fruit for ripeness, and netting vines.
• September - October: Hand harvest grapes. Engage in winterizing activities in the vineyard and, if necessary, maintain the water drip system and make repairs as necessary.
Equipment used to perform job duties includes, but is not limited to, clippers, hoe, spade, pliers, wrench screwdriver, cutting knife, gloves, tractor, hand truck, tiller, trailer, and forklift. The employer provides all equipment and tools used in the performance of vineyard duties.

Physical Requirements:
Workers may be required to handle products weighing up to 75 pounds and lift to a height of 5 feet. The job involves working on their feet in bent positions for long periods, repetitive movements, and extensive walking, stooping, and bending over. Work is 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, honeybees, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, or related chemicals may affect a worker's job.

Other Work Requirements continued in Item A.8a, Addendum C

Special Requirements

Work Rules
1. Per the DOL, the Employer will reimburse the Worker for inbound travel, sustenance, or other DOL-allowable expenses only upon the Worker completing 50% of the contract.
2. Workers must perform their assigned work carefully and work in accordance with the provisions of the work contract. Sloppy work will not be tolerated.
3. Workers must report at the assigned time and place each workday as directed by the Employer or Employers representatives.
4. Workers may not take unauthorized breaks from work. Should the Worker need a break, he/she will immediately contact the Employer or Employers representative.
5. Workers may not leave an assigned work area without the permission of the Employer or Employers representative.
6. Workers may not enter the Employer's premises without authorization.
7. Workers may not begin work before the scheduled starting time or continue working after the stopping time unless authorized by the Employer/Employers representative.