Farmworkers

Job description

CHERRY Harvest: The Worker will hand harvest cherries, this can be performed from a motorized platform and/or from the ground or a ladder. The Worker will attach harness, bucket or bag and pick low hanging fruit while standing or on a ladder. The Worker will pick according to grade, color and size by grasping fruit with the hands and removing from the tree in a motion so as not to harm adjacent buds on the tree branches. The Worker will carry harness, bucket or bag of up to 20 lbs. and will place fruit into plastic lugs which hold approximately 30 pounds of fruit. Care must be exercised at all times to prevent bruising of fruit or breaking of branches. Some Workers may be required to examine harvested fruit in plastic/wooden bins and sort out any fruit not meeting the grade, color and size specifications. The worker must possess the ability to pick-up, handle a 10 ft. or 12 ft. orchard ladder weighing up to 60 pounds.

APPLES Harvest: The Worker will hand harvest apples, this can be performed from a motorized platform and/or from the ground or a ladder. The Worker will attach harness, bucket or bag and picks low hanging fruit while standing on the ground and higher branches while standing on a ladder. The Worker will pick according to grade, color and size by grasping fruit with the hands and removing from the tree in a motion so as not to harm adjacent buds on the tree branches. The Worker will carry harness, bucket or bag of up to 60 lbs. and will place fruit into wooden bins, 4x4x3 which hold approximately 25 bushels of fruit. Care must be exercised at all times to prevent bruising of fruit or breaking of branches. The Worker may be required to examine harvested fruit in bins and sort out any fruit not meeting the grade, color and size specifications. The Worker must possess the ability to pick up; handle a 10 ft. or 12 ft. orchard ladder weighing up to 60 pounds.

PRUNING: Pruning numerous varieties of apple trees according to established company procedures based on the difference in the treatment of different varieties. Work will be performed on trees for long periods of time using a variety of pruning equipment including hand shears, hand loppers, hand saws, and up to 12-foot ladders. Pruning and thinning may be done from the ground or a ladder up to 12 feet in height or from a motorized platform. Workers may be required to selectively prune only trees of a certain size and color as instructed by the crew boss.

THINNING: Hand thinning is a manual process used to control the size and quality of grown fruit. Must possess ability to pick up, handle a 12-foot orchard ladder weighing up to 60 pounds. This process requires the employee to remove, in some cases not limited to the smallest fruit blossom, bud and/or identifiable fruit from within a cluster of other fruits. Workers will be expected to be able to identify and remove fruit that is misshapen, damaged and/or with other quality problems as directed by supervisors.

TRAINING: Training is a process in which the fruit tree is manipulated to increase yield and/or quality. The Worker must possess ability to pick up, handle a 10 ft. to 12 ft. orchard ladder weighing up to 60 pounds. Training may be performed from a motorized platform and/or from the ground or ladder. Some example training tasks are but not limited to:
Tying, taping or clipping apple limbs to wires.
Tying up or down apple limbs.
Training and limb positioning of apple trees.
Shoot thinning, sucker removal, cluster thinning, shoot positioning, hedging, or leaf removal.
Propping and supporting apple trees.

Special Requirements

Worker must possess 3 months of tree fruit training, pruning, and thinning apples and orchard ladder experience.
Must be able to lift and/or load 60 lbs.
Must be able to work on a motorized platform and ladder.
May require extensive pulling and/or pushing of tools, wheelbarrows, fruit containers, etc.
May require worker to sit and/or walk for extensive periods of time while sorting, picking, examining, weeding, transporting, pruning, etc. Workers will be required to stoop and/or bend over while performing farm labor such as weeding, irrigating, pruning, picking, removing debris, etc.
There will be repetitive movements while performing most of the farm labor duties, for example picking, sorting, pruning, shoveling, weeding, etc.