Farmworkers And Laborers
Employer
721 BUCKATUNNA-CHICORA-CLARA ROAD
WAYNESBORO, MS 39367
United States
Job description
Duties may vary from time to time. Workers may manually plant, cultivate, harvest, process and pot blueberry plants. Gather tools needed for specific work being done (picking buckets, fruit lugs, tractor, ATV with harvest trailer, sprayer, pruning shears, water cooler with fresh cups, hoe, shovel, pallet jack, pressure washer, mop, broom, shop vacuum, supplies). Mechanical Picker: Loading fruit lugs on Mechanical Picker for harvesting fruit. May ride Mechanical Picker monitoring the lugs as fruit is filling them. Pick debris out of fruit as the lugs are filling with fruit. Lift and stack filled lugs into stacks on Mechanical Picker until picked up by ATV with trailer. Transfer filled lugs on mechanical picker onto ATV with trailer for transporting fruit out of field. Load fresh fruit lugs onto Mechanical Picker for harvesting. Pressure wash and sanitize Mechanical Picker. Field pickers: Workers will be required to walk in the field and fill 1-gallon buckets with blueberries. Place fruit carefully in bucket and place under bush for pickup. May carry filled buckets out of field to processing house. Workers will pick up ``fruit in buckets or lugs and carry it out of field weighing approximately 10-40 lbs. May help oversee other workers to make sure job is done adequately. May drive ATV with trailer to field, load filled fruit lugs/buckets onto trailer and place a top cover over lugs and buckets preparing for transporting fruit to processing facility, once there, unload and place product on pallets. May pick sort and package blueberries in the field. Workers will use wedge clippers and pruning shears. Processing Facility (On the Farm): Load and Unload filled fruit lugs and palletize for wind tunnel. Place into wind tunnel for cooling before entering processing line. Removal from wind tunnel to processing line. Lift and pore fruit onto cleaner and blower. Stand at grading table or conveyer belt for (inspection) of quality fruit. When processing is complete, workers will then load the trailer with flats of berries. Packing machine monitoring for filling fruit into clamshell and clamshell refilling. Packing clamshells of fruit into boxes (flats) for sale. Lift and stack onto pallets. Use pallet jack to load fruit onto pick-up truck or trailer for transportation to drop station. Loading containers of culled fruit for removal from processing building. Build boxes for packing clamshells on packing line. Vacuum, sweep, mop, pressure wash, sanitize, and (clean/sanitize Processing Facility and Equipment). Load/Unload Processing Facility packing materials (clam shells, boxes etc.), Pressure wash (clean) lugs/buckets and processing line equipment, Pick up trash/debris around Farm/Housing/Fields. Prune Fruit bushes and remove wood debris from field, and Inspect bushes for damage, disease or insect infestation and remove or replace. Workers will pull grass, pull weeds, mow grass, trim bushes, spread mulch around plants, and disperse fertilizer in fields. Workers will be trained on applying fertilizers and pesticides. Hoe weeds in fields, inside and outside packing house. Operate and Inspect field irrigation systems, repair and replace as needed. May do minor repairs to trellises, farm fences, and buildings, replace damaged posts using wire stretchers, hammers, paint, brushes, etc. Clean and do minor maintenance to machinery and implements. Workers my transport other workers to worksite, field/housing, and grocery store.
Special Requirements
Must be 18 years or older. Must have worked a season picking and packing similar crops such as fresh blueberries, blackberries, or coffee beans or have 3 months experience in picking and packing, planting, harvesting similar crops such as fresh Blueberries, Blackberries, or coffee beans. Workers must have drivers license to drive company vehicles. Workers should come prepared wearing appropriate clothing and footwear for the environmental and working conditions described. Cell phone can only be used during breaks, emergencies, and communicated with supervisor when needed. Hours and days of work may vary due to weather conditions: blueberries and blackberries are perishable and must be picked and packed within a limited time to harvest. All tools, supplies, and equipment will be provided at no cost to the workers. The company may conduct criminal background checks on all new applicant at the employers expense. Workers should expect periods of little/no work and hours/days will