Farmworkers And Laborers
Employer
3769 Grapeland Circle
Exmore, VA 23350
United States
Job description
Stake Repair: The process of stake repairing can either be an individual or three-part group effort. The task is needed because the stakes that have been driven into the plant row and tied have been damaged due to several potential environmental or product factors. Stake repair is a manual task which can consist of straightening and re-driving the existing stake back to its original plumb position or completely installing and driving new stakes into the existing plant row. Depending on the stage of the crop when the stake damage occurs, the steps or process may be altered. Replacement stakes which could be new or used are loaded by hand onto the bed of a truck or trailer depending on the quantity needed. The individual or three-part group will walk the rows where the damage has occurred re-driving the leaning stakes back to their original plumb position. If the damage is severe and the stakes are broken, this process becomes a group effort. Part of the group removes by hand the loaded replacement stakes from the trailer or truck and stabs the replacement stake right beside each broken stake down the center of the bed. The other part of the group uses either a manual hammer, post type pipe driver or a pneumatic air hammer to drive the replacement stake to the proper depth within the row. The third part or total group picks the entire length of damaged stakes and plants which have been tied and stands them back upholding them against the newly driven replacement stakes. The broken stake is then tied to the replacement stake using tying twine provided. The necessary tools which could be a post type stake driver, 3 to 4 pound hammer or a pneumatic air hammer used in the original staking operation and tying twine will be provided by the farm. Stake Sorting: Pick up by hand individual stakes from a stake bundle. Strike the stake on the ground by hand to see if it breaks or makes a cracking sound. This will be done both visually and audibly. If the stake breaks both pieces are discarded and burned. If the stake makes the cracking sound the striking motion occurs again to see if it is cracked. Cracked stakes are also discarded and burned. If the stake is a good solid stake, it is kept separate in another pile and re-bundled for future use. Tying: Attaching a small box of string to one's waist with belt and in one hand using a tying stick in the other hand, attach string to the tying stick. Then take the tying stick and looping string around the stake and standing plant between stakes and pulling string tight to hold the plant up between stakes. Continue process for each stake and plant for entire field on both sides of the plant. This task will require the removal of empty boxes and trash from field at the end of the tying process.
Special Requirements
General Specifications and Physical Requirements of the Job: The majority of the workday is spent on ones feet and outdoors. Workers rarely stand in one place for any period of time. Workers must be able to stand, sit, stoop, squat, kneel, crouch, bend, (from the waist), push, pull, reach, lift and carry items weighing up from 5 to 80 pounds in the course of performing required activities. Work is performed in outdoor agricultural fields and involves exposure to sun, wind, rain, soil, mud, dust, heat, cold and other natural elements. Worker must be able to withstand working in the direct sunlight, and weather conditions ranging from hot and humid weather, moderate rain and cold while performing their required job duties. Workers should come prepared wearing appropriate clothing and footwear for the environmental and working conditions described.