Farmworkers & Laborers, Crop

Job description

Orchard worker: Prune and plant trees, vines, canes and bushes. Cultivate and hand-harvest tree fruits, nuts, berries and mixed vegetables, including but not limited to apples, peaches, cherries, raspberries, onions, carrots, chestnuts, almonds, herbs and cut flowers. Pull weeds/chop: Workers will walk along rows as specified by employer and remove weeds and grass from fields by hand or using a hoe. Duties may include cleaning, field packing, loading and unloading harvested fruits, nuts, berries and vegetables. May construct trellises, repair fences and farm buildings, or participate in irrigation activities. Field grade, sort, or classify by size, weight, color, or condition. Prolonged walking, standing, bending, stooping, and reaching. Workers may be requested to submit to random drug or alcohol tests at no cost to the worker. Failure to comply with the request or testing positive may result in immediate termination. All testing will occur post-hire and is not a part of the interview process. Negative result may be required post-hire and before commencing work. Must be able to lift 75 lbs. to shoulder height repetitively throughout the workday and able to lift and carry 75 lbs. in field. Must be able to carry a full picking bag up and down using up to a 20 feet ladder repetitively throughout the work day. Must be able to discern colors accurately in order to perform color-specific picking. Must not hinder another workers productivity. Use of personal cell phone or other personal electronic device during working hours strictly prohibited except for work-related calls or emergencies and violation may result in immediate termination. Requires three months verifiable prior work experience in a commercial orchard pruning apple and/or peach trees. Must commit to entire anticipated period of employment.

Pickers/pruners: Hand-harvest apples and peaches. Load and unload apples and peaches by hand. Prune apple and peach trees according to supervisors instructions. Worker will attach harness, bucket or bag and pick low hanging fruit while standing on ground and higher branches while standing on a ladder. Worker will pick according to grade, color and size by grasping fruit with the hands and removing from the tree in a motion so as not to harm adjacent buds on the tree branches. Worker will carry full harness, bucket or bag and place fruit into wooden or plastic bins which hold approximately 13 bushels of fruit. Care must be exercised at all times to prevent bruising of fruit or breaking of branches. Some workers may be required to examine harvested fruit in bins and sort out any fruit not meeting the grade, color and size specifications.

All workers are required to follow common sanitary practices at all times. This is particularly important when touching crops for human consumption. Workers are required to cleanse their hands by washing thoroughly with soap and water before entering field for harvest activities and after each break. Smoking and the use of tobacco products prohibited during working time.

Workers may be required to perform work that is incidental to farming the crops listed in the application. All other duties, if any assigned, will be those duties of Farm Worker, Diversified Crops, DOT code 407.687-010 (SOC (ONET/OES) code 45-2092.02). This is a very demanding and competitive business in which quality specifications must be rigorously adhered to. Sloppy work cannot and will not be tolerated.

Special Requirements

Prolonged walking, standing, bending, stooping, and reaching. Workers may be requested to submit to random drug or alcohol tests at no cost to the worker. Failure to comply with the request or testing positive may result in immediate termination. All testing will occur post-hire and is not a part of the interview process. Negative result may be required post-hire and before commencing work. Must be able to lift 75 lbs. to shoulder height repetitively throughout the workday and able to lift and carry 75 lbs. in field. Must be able to carry a full picking bag up and down using up to a 20 feet ladder repetitively throughout the work day. Must be able to discern colors accurately in order to perform color-specific picking. Must not hinder another workers productivity. Use of personal cell phone or other personal electronic device during working hours strictly prohibited except for work-related calls or emergencies and violation may result in immediate termination. Requires three mo