Farm Laborer

Job description

Crops/Commodities:
trees and shrubs.
Worker will plant, prune, & graft shade, flowering & fruit trees and perform general nursery work listed below. The worker is expected to possess or acquire skills in order to perform planting, pruning, and grafting activities required to ensure the health of the plant.

Nursery Potting, Tractor Driving, Pruning Plants

Potting: planting smaller plants into pots and bare root plants into pots;
Tractor Driving: moving plants to area where they will continue to grow or pot;
Cuttings: making special cuts on stems for putting roots on them;
Seed: Planting seed in trays, germinating and starting new plants;
Pruning: pruning shrubs and trees in pots
Weeding: as needed
Fertilizing: as needed
Coverning Greenhouses: placing plastic or shade cloth over greenhouses to protect the plants;
Fork Lift Driving: moving pallets and plants or loading trucks;
Irrigation: water plants to maintain proper growth.

Trees - In Warehouse & Cooler
• Grading 1, 2, 3 year old finished trees
• Tie bunches together
• Grade to KCK quality specs
• Place trees on pallets
• Place trees on racks in cooler
• Pick up trees for shipping
• Place bare root trees onto truck

Trees - Shipping
• Tie up and label containerized finished trees and shrubs in 1 quart and in 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 15, & 25 gallon pots
• Load finished trees or shrubs onto trailers
• Transport saleable trees or shrubs in 1-quart, and 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 15, & 25 gallon pots to dock for shipping
• Load saleable trees onto trucks
• Consolidate saleable trees as necessary

Driving:
• Transport employees from housing to job site, town, shopping

General conditions: Nursery work begins at assigned time shortly after daylight. Work may be performed during light rain and in high humidity and in freezing or high heat temperatures. Worker may be required to work in outside when plants are wet with dew/rain and should have suitable clothing for variable weather conditions. Work is to be done for long periods of time. Workers should be able to work on their feet in bent positions for long periods of time. Work requires repetitive movements and extensive walking. Workers should have suitable clothing for variable weather conditions. Workers should be physically able to do the work required with or without reasonable accommodations. Saturday work required. Must be able to lift/carry 60 lbs. Employer-paid post hire drug testing is required at random and after a worker has an accident at work.

Worker must possess requisite physical strength and endurance to repeat the assigned tasks throughout the workday. Workers must work at a sustained, vigorous pace and make bona-fide efforts to work efficiently and consistently that are reasonable under the climatic and all other working conditions.

Equipment may include tractors, planters, mowers, power shears, high lifts, fork lifts and trucks or other vehicles.

Worker may never ride on agricultural equipment not designed for work related riding purposes or any other non-passenger intended equipment unless instructed and authorized by the employer or supervisor to do so. All work related injuries must be immediately reported to crew leader, foreman, or supervisor. Workers must operate all equipment properly and in a manner that protects operator, others, the employer's products and property. Failure to comply with safety requirements and operating instructions may result in disciplinary action up to and including immediate termination.

All other duties assigned under this order will be those duties of Farm Worker, Diversified Crops, under the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics Standard Occupational Classification Code 45-2092.

Special Requirements

This job requires a minimum 3 months of verifiable agricultural experience working in a nursery or tree and shrub farm handling both manual and mechanized tasks associated with production of trees. Workers must be able to perform manual and mechanized tasks with accuracy and efficiency. Saturday work required. Must be able to lift/carry 60 lbs. Employer-paid post-hire drug testing is required at random and after a worker has an accident at work.