Farmworkers And Laborers Crops
Employer
1270-1380 Hopson Rd
Frostproof, FL 33843
United States
Job description
Harvesting citrus fruit by hand under supervisor’s instructions, the worker will place a picking sack over his shoulder and carry an 18’ to 20’ ladder from the field truck to the particular area of the grove to be harvested. The picking sack is a canvas bag equipped with a shoulder strap for support, an opening for the insertion of fruit, and an opening to remove fruit. A full loaded sack weighs between approximately 80 and 100 pounds, depending upon the size, condition and variety of fruit. Worker positions ladder against the tree and within reach of the fruit in a leaning position, taking care not to break limbs, damage the tree, knock of fruit or interfere with other workers, in a secure position to prevent slipping or falling and possible injury to themselves or other workers. Worker will remove fruit from the tree and place into pick sack. When pick sack is full take full sack to fruit tub.
General grove caretaking: Irrigation system maintenance and operation of agriculture equipment.
Hand weeding: Workers will walk through the fields pooling the weeds around the plants using their hand or a hoe.
Workers who qualify may occasionally help with moving trucks, tractors and using forklifts.
PLANTING : All crops. Worker will plant and/or replant as needed. These tasks will include repetitive and physically demanding shovel work. Worker may lift up to 50lbs. Worker may be required to ride a mechanical planter (training will be provided). Worker may be required to hand plant using tools such as a spade or hand trowel.
Harvesting Blueberry by hand, the worker will walk down the blueberry field rows where the blueberry will be harvested. The worker will place a 1 gallon picking bucket with a strap over his shoulder from the field truck to the particular area of the field where the fruit will be harvested. The 1 gallon picking bucket is a canvas, equipped with a shoulder strap for support. Worker positions himself in front of the blueberry tree and will remove the fruit from the tree and place into the 1 gallon picking bucket taking care not to break any limbs, damage the tree, or knock off the fruit. When the 1 gallon picking bucket is full he will take it to the truck at the end of the row where he will unload his fruit into a small tub or container.
General Field Maintenance: The following task may be required: apply mulch by row mulcher or by hand; apply ground cover to beds using machine or by hand; remove debris from bed preparation process to clean growing area; finish row ends with shovels provided by employer; unload plants by hand from trucks and move plants to planting location by hand; lay plastic, assist in pest controls; install culverts for field drainage; remove and reinstall sprinklers during bed preparation, re-plant missing or unhealthy plants as directed; remove or pull up plants in preparation for next crop; remove blossoms (de-blossom) to improve fruit quality; remove debris, boxes, and discarded fruit from fields to keep clean growing areas; general ranch maintenance; basic irrigation maintenance; make sandbags, clean and maintenance equipment and tools, assist in applications by hand or tractor of fertilizers and or/pesticides; frost control of sprinklers, frost blanket coverings, or hoop coverings. May be necessary to assist in the use of farm equipment such as tractors, trucks and harvest machinery, etc.
Special Requirements
This type of work, involves working conditions that require tremendous stamina, a high level of physical activity in cold or extremely hot conditions in direct sunlight and in adverse weather such as rain. The work requires a high level of physical conditioning.