Farmworkers & Laborers

Job description

Commercial tree nursery worker: Workers will perform heavy manual labor including but not limited to planting, cultivating, harvesting, pruning, applying herbicides and insecticides, and fertilizing all types of trees growing in fields. Workers will perform pinching, pruning, fertilizing, watering, rooting, weeding, loading, transporting, discarding, rotating, grading, storing, and loading and shipping field grown trees according to supervisor’s instructions. Harvesting includes digging up products, balling and securing delicate dirt and root systems in burlap secured with rope, pins or wire, to be stored until ready for shipment in farm staging area. Grading is done by size, shape, and quality. Products are measured and tied for storage and shipment. May deliver or assist with delivery of our plant material to customers using a single-axle delivery truck with GVWR less than 13 tons. May operate and perform minor maintenance on farm vehicles, implements or equipment. Perform farm, field and shed sanitation duties. Mow grass and operate trimmer around farm buildings. Direct and monitor the work of casual and seasonal help during planting and harvesting. Operate farm vehicles to haul crops and drive other farmworkers from place to place around the farm properties (including on public roads to reach farmer’s fields) during the workday. Though not a hiring requirement, if a worker drives a company vehicle during the period of employment then at the time of operating the company vehicle the driver must possess a valid driver’s license issued by a U.S. state or foreign equivalent and operate the company vehicle in accordance with the license restrictions and vehicle classifications applicable to that license. Duties performed in the field will be sporadic throughout the contract. Employer will issue appropriate Personal Protective Equipment as appropriate.

Prolonged walking, standing, bending, stooping, and reaching. This work is physically challenging and will be performed in varying weather conditions including, but not limited to, hot, humid, cold, rain, sleet and snow. Workers may be requested to submit to random drug or alcohol tests at no cost to the worker. Failure to comply with the request or testing positive may result in immediate termination. All testing will occur post-hire and is not a part of the interview process. Negative result may be required post-hire and before commencing work. Must be able to lift and carry 75 lbs. repetitively throughout the workday. Must not hinder another worker’s productivity. Use of personal cell phone or other personal electronic device during working hours strictly prohibited except for work-related calls or emergencies and violation may result in immediate termination. Must commit to work the entire contract period. Requires one-month verifiable prior work experience digging by hand ball and burlap, and pruning/shearing field-grown nursery trees.

EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT: Applicants are required to have a minimum one-month verifiable prior experience working in field-grown tree nursery - grading, sizing, and pruning mostly trees with some limited shrubs according to well established nursery standards. Workers should be able to hand dig small, medium and large sized trees with dirt covered root ball and then securely wrap the root ball with burlap and secure it with large, job specific, employer-provided pinning nails so that the tree can be moved and transplanted successfully by the purchasing customer, providing the tree the very best chance of survival from "harvest shock". Worker should be able to successfully tie tops of trees using string and be able to utilize metal wire baskets on larger tree sizes. Grading and pruning trees are critical work. Pruning, if done incorrectly, can take years for the trees to grow out of the damage, causing the grower significant economic damage. Workers must have at least one-month verifiable ball and burlap (B&B)

Special Requirements

Prolonged walking, standing, bending, stooping, and reaching. This work is physically challenging and will be performed in varying weather conditions including, but not limited to, hot, humid, cold, rain, sleet and snow. Workers may be requested to submit to random drug or alcohol tests at no cost to the worker. Failure to comply with the request or testing positive may result in immediate termination. All testing will occur post-hire and is not a part of the interview process. Negative result may be required post-hire and before commencing work. Must be able to lift and carry 75 lbs. repetitively throughout the workday. Must not hinder another workers productivity. Use of personal cell phone or other personal electronic device during working hours strictly prohibited except for work-related calls or emergencies and violation may result in immediate termination. Must commit to work the entire contract period. Requires one-month verifiable prior work experience digging by