Asparagus Harvester
Employer
Overlook Harvesting Michigan, LLC
5779 W Harrison Rd
Mears , MI 49436
United States
Job description
ASPARAGUS HARVEST: Worker will hand harvest asparagus and plant asparagus. Asparagus plants can grow 3-10 inches per day, and during growing season, the field needs to be picked daily, or as often that is needed to meet quality and length requirements. In an asparagus field, asparagus pickers will sit in bent positions while riding on a specially-designed picking cart, while one of the pickers is designated as the driver of the picking cart in which they pick asparagus in their row while steering the cart with their feet. Pickers use both hands to hand snap the asparagus spears just above the ground as to not leave tall stubble no more than inch allowed. Pickers may be asked to cut asparagus in the field using a cutting tool or knife. There is no pulling of spear and root out from the ground causing white ends. Asparagus is placed in plastic lugs in an orientated manner-butts to the center of the lug and heads or tips to the end. While workers are picking, any non-marketable product will be harvested and thrown on the grown so as to prevent from becoming a continuous problem. Each lug holds approximately 25 pounds when full of asparagus. Workers may be required to walk through rows behind the picking cart and stoop to hand snap spears just above ground that the workers on the picking cart missed. Worker will pick according to grade, color and size. For Fresh Harvesting, workers will carry the full lugs off of the cart and hand stack onto each other on the pallet in the correct manner so that the lugs dont crush any of the harvested spears, This will require the lugs to be lifted onto the truck bed or trailer and place on the pallet, secured with top and strap. For Processing harvesting, workers will carry the full lugs off of the cart, lift full lugs up to the truck or trailer and dump into 18-20 bushel wooden or plastic bin. Processing asparagus will be graded accordingly to the processor specifications. Pay will be team-based piece rate. Harvested spears from a cart will be weighed together and graded for length, quality, and appearance. Fresh asparagus will be trimmed, a but cut will be taken off every spear in the grading process to get the total marketable weight of the asparagus. All fresh harvested asparagus should be harvested between 8 and 11 inches. From the production, each crew total divided by the crew members will be split by each asparagus harvest team member and paid off the graded off the graded pounds total. Asparagus pickers will be required to bend, stoop, kneel and stand for long periods of time. Harvest conditions vary based on weather patterns and market demands. Workers may be required to assist with driving a cart from field to field. Based upon work performance, advancement is a possibility. This advancement includes but is not limited to supervising/managing a crew as well as possibly driving a bus as long as licensing requirements are met.
Special Requirements
SEE ADDENDUM C.