Farm Laborer

Job description

This job encompasses tasks in the production of blueberries, including the harvest, planting, inspection, and operation of agricultural equipment. Workers are responsible for various activities such as weeding, pruning, trimming, laying plastic, irrigation, staking, operating machinery, sorting, packing, storing, grading, stacking, unstacking, and harvesting blueberries by hand and machine.

Hauling and spreading topsoil, fertilizer and other materials to condition soil. Move containers of plants and complete all planting actions. Load products into trucks and transport to packing and storage facility.

Repairing irrigation systems, cleaning and maintaining harvesting and related equipment, structures, and grounds, riding on the top and back of tractors and harvesters while harvesting blueberries, picking up lugs of harvested blueberries from scales, and stacking full lugs onto field trucks.

Workers may operate agricultural equipment such as tractors, harvesters, planters, farm trucks, and operate other mechanized farm equipment to plant, cultivate, haul and harvest blueberries. Use farm equipment to cut, pull, dig, thresh, clean, chop, bag, or bundle harvested crops. Load/unload harvested blueberries or other materials manually or with mechanized equipment such as conveyors, forklifts or hand trucks. Discard diseased or rotten blueberries. Mow, cut, and weed fields. Prepare and/or clear land for planting using mechanized or hand equipment to remove trash, rocks, or other debris or material that may interfere with planting or harvesting activities. Level land by moving dirt and other materials. Equipment may include tractors, harvesters, forklifts, dozers, planters, mowers, plows, sprayers, cultivators, power shears, chainsaws, bobcats, skid loaders, high lifts, and trucks or other farm equipment. Manipulate controls to set, activate, and adjust mechanisms on machinery. Adjust speeds of cutters, blowers, and conveyors and height of cutting head. Clean, adjust, repair, and perform routine service on equipment (e.g., lubricating grease points, inspecting and maintaining fluid levels, checking belt and conveyor tensions, and maintaining tires, wheels, bearings, belts, and other wear parts). Repair or replace defective parts. (Basic reparis are less than 50% of the total workdays of the contract). Attach farm implements (e.g., plows, harrows, discs, sprayers) using hand tools. May assist with other general farm maintenance or repairs.
Install/maintain irrigation systems and water lines. Move and install irrigation pipes and equipment. Dig and maintain ditches. Install and remove levee gates.

Under supervision of a licensed pesticide applicator, apply pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and other crop protectants. Apply fertilizers, plant growth chemicals, conditioners, and other plant related treatments at the correct times depending on plant type, growth, climate and crop conditions.

Work often involves standing, moving and sitting on the back and top of harvesting equipment up to 15 ft. from the ground. Perform manual labor to cultivate blueberries including weeding, trimming, hoeing and pruning using hand tools. Packing area has cold conditions and floor is hard for standing/walking and occasionally is slippery. The job requires moderate endurance, manual dexterity, good reflexes, being able to stand 8 to 10 hours daily, turning, twisting, ability to walk around moving conveyors, and/or bending while lifting. Manual lifting of weights more than 50 pounds is required.

Special Requirements

All workers must have at least 2 months of experience working with blueberries.

Specific requirements include lifting up to 50 pounds frequently and ability to use hand tools and perform the job duties as specified herein. Must be able to work under conditions where skin and clothing become heavily soiled with mud, water, grease, etc. Must be able to work outdoors in inclement weather conditions, including rain, cold, high winds, etc. Work involves frequent bending and working in bent or stooped position. Must be able to walk and stand up extensively. No smoking, alcohol, firearms at the worksite or residential housing.

Work is performed in open fields and may involve exposure to mud, dust, wind, heat, cold, and other natural elements. Temperatures can range from 30 degrees Fahrenheit to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit during the period of employment. Workers should come prepared with appropriate clothing and footwear for the environmental and working conditions described.