Greenhouse/farmworker
Employer
VAGA & grower member(s) See Addendum B
South Boston, VA 24592
United States
Job description
Nursery/Greenhouse – Duties may include but are not limited to: preparing soil and growth media, planting, transplanting, cultivating, pruning, cutting, deadheading, culling, pinching, pollinating, harvesting, trimming to shape, mowing, fertilizing with granular or liquid fertilizer, cleaning work area, transporting plant materials in the greenhouse or nursery area, loading and unloading plants and all other duties associated with plant production and /or otherwise participating in horticulture activities.Will be responsible for the lifecycle of crops, including planning and planting, managing growth and health, diagnosing and assessing the health of the plant, and keeping documentation and assisting our licensed handlers and applicators. Haul and spread topsoil, fertilizer, etc. to condition land. Spray, weed and water plants, shrubs and trees. Workers will be required to perform duties to prepare crops and ensure their development into marketable products. Workers will also pick orders, space plantings, load and unload product from carts, racks, benches, wagons and trucks for crop placement. Workers must lift full and empty metal benches of plants. Operate equipment necessary for the maintenance and operation of the grounds and facilities. Haul/delivery of products.
Planting, Cultivating and Harvesting Vegetables/Fruits - Duties may include but are not limited to plant, cultivate, harvest and pack produce in boxes, buckets, and/or crates. May assist in set-up of product for sale of crop. When harvesting cabbage, asparagus, winter squash, pumpkins workers will cut selected produce with knife or shears and place in trailer drawn through field. Workers are also expected to perform task of packing, weighing, and loading trucks. Produce may include a variety of cucumbers, squash, sweet potatoes, potatoes, peppers, grapes, berries, asparagus, broccoli, beans, cantaloupes, peas, pumpkins, melons, tomatoes, corn, and other miscellaneous fruits or vegetables.
Poultry will include feeding, water, checking birds, flock health, removing dead birds, animal handling, gathering eggs, setting eggs, taking hatch off, wing banding and vaccinating chicks, cleaning rooms and equipment/facility maintenance. Some farms may move mobile poultry tractors to fresh pasture areas to ensure proper rotation and soil health.
Livestock Multi species of livestock including pigs, sheep, and goats will include assisting with delivery, apply or administer medications, vaccines and/or insecticides, mix feed and additives, feed, water, herd, clean/disinfect livestock corrals/stalls/sheds, castrate, brand, clip/tag and clamp livestock. – Could include daily pasture moves for all livestock, including cattle, lambs, goats, pigs, and horses.
In addition to the duties listed above in connection with the crops, the worker may or may not be required to perform variable tasks such as the following: Irrigation, ditching, hoeing, shoveling, placement and removal of plastic, spraying pesticides or herbicides, loading, unloading, and hauling, etc.
Alternative work -General farm work will include maintain, drive, attach and operate farm implements/tractors/equipment connected with the duties listed above, make minor mechanical adjustments, repairs and service machinery, paint/repair farm structures, replace/repair fencing, perform general cleanup of farm areas, load and unload trucks, removal of rocks and clearing of land which is related to land preparation. Maintenance of livestock shelters, equipment, and farm wayside stands.
Special Requirements
Workers will be expected to conform to the specific instructions given for each days work. Assignments will be made by employer or a designated employee. Workers may be assigned a variety of duties in any given day and different tasks on the same day. Packaged produce may weigh from 50 to 75 pounds. Workers are exposed to wet weather early in the morning and through the heat of the day, working in fields. Temperatures may range from 30F to 110F. Workers may be required to work during occasional showers not severe enough to stop field operations. Employers will provide workers, without cost to them, with appropriate rain gear. Considerable bending is required. Workers should be able to work on their feet in bent, stooped or crouched positions for long periods of time. Allergies to grass, weeds, goldenrod, insect spray, related chemicals, etc., may affect workers ability to perform the work.