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
Covering Greenhouses: placing plastic or shade cloth over greenhouses to protect the plants;
Fork Lift Driving: moving pallets and plants or loading trucks;
Irrigation: watering plants to maintain proper growth.

Trees - Field

Shade, Flowering & Fruit Trees
Prune - shape trees
Sucker - remove suckers from the base
Limb up - remove branches
Set posts stakes
Tie trees to stakes
Hoe
Tie tops of trees to stake
Field planting of trees
Grafting trees - Grafting is the process by which trees can be cloned. The workers must possess the ability to stay bent over for long periods of time. Tasks include: removing branches with clippers from the base of the tree as well as up to 12" from the soil, technical knife control will be needed to make a cut on the understock, plastic is banded around the scion wood and understock to prevent moisture from entering the wound, plastic is cut from the understock and scion wood after the graft union has healed.

Harvest Shade, Flowering and Fruit Trees in Field:
Lift trees out of ground
Shake soil from trees
Load trees onto trailers for transport to the grading barn
Pull stakes from trees
Drive tractor in the field to aid in harvesting trees

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

Hazelnut Work:
Flailing floors
Leveling floors
Sweeping floors
Harvesting floors
Loading trucks
Driving trucks to hazelnut wash/dry facility
Irrigation

Irrigation:
Move irrigation pipe in fields
Set up mainline in fields
Set up irrigation reels in the field

Driving:
Move harvested trees from field to warehouse using a tractor or pick-up
Transport employees from housing to job site, town, shopping
Driving tractor or pick-up to deliver crops to the warehouse

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.

Special Requirements

This job requires a minimum 2 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.