Fruit Farm Worker

Job description

Manually plant, cultivate, sort and harvest apples. Harvest tart cherries. Grow fruit trees in nursery. Use hand tools such as shovels, towels, hoes, tampers, pruning tools, shears and knives. Use basic equipment such as wheelbarrows, and watering cans. Duties include: weeding, thinning, or pruning crops; cleaning, packing, and loading harvested products. Work in nursery which will include: planting, budding, care of nursery trees, and weeding as directed. Consult trellises, repair fence, and farm buildings or participate in irrigation activities. Clean and maintain irrigation ditches. Cultivate, prune, train and harvest crops.
Workers are expected to use hand tools and basic equipment to cut brush and plant young trees. Workers will be expected to be able to utilize hand tools and basic equipment, under close supervision in a manner that protects the operator, visitors, other employees, crops, trees, facilities and equipment. Agricultural tasks will be closely monitored for quality and accuracy by the employer.
Failure to comply with operating and safety standards may result in termination. Inform farmer or farm managers of crop progress. Pick apples and/or tart cherries. All fruit is to be handled with care to avoid bruising. Apples injured during picking shall not exceed 1 percent (WNY) for fresh and 1 percent (WNY) for processing. Productivity must be at least 6 bins (120 bushels) fresh market and/or 8 bins (160 bushels) processing fruit per day. Workers are expected to work at least the number of days and hours specified. Depending on weather, crop or other conditions, workers may be requested, not required, to work up to seven days per week, and up to 12 hours per day.
Employer will furnish to workers, without cost, all hand tools and basic equipment required in the performance of the duties assigned. Workers should report to work in their own clothing, which includes raincoat, insulated coat, boots, gloves and eye protection. Clothing is not a tool to do the job. Field temperatures may range from 0 to 90+ degrees (with possible wet morning conditions and possible snow and rain). Workers referred to against this order must have a minimum of 0-2 months experience in performing tasks described in the order. No to limited experience is required. Those that are requested to drive will be required to possess an appropriate license; no one will be rejected for this position that does not possess a driver’s license
The employer will provide day-to-day duties and will be available to provide training when necessary. The employer will closely monitor, track and assess for quality, accuracy and production results. All instructions will be given from the employer. Forty-two (42) pound lifting requirement.

Workers must be able to understand/communicate in basic English.

Special Requirements

Operate tractors, tractor-drawn machinery, and self-propelled machinery. Must be able to lift 42 pounds. The employer will provide 1 day of production standards if applicable. The employer assures that workers hired under this order who will be handling pesticides will be provided appropriate training.