Farmworker/laborer
Employer
Gebbers Farms - 25985 Hwy 97
Brewster, WA 98812
United States
Job description
1. Pruning of Trees
a. Pruning of trees may be done from the ground, from a ladder up to 12 feet in height, or from a motorized platform. Work may be performed in snow or on frozen ground.
2. Thinning of Trees
a. Thinning of fruit from trees may be done from the ground, from a ladder up to 12 feet in height, or from a motorized platform.
3. Training of trees by tying/trellis or using wooden spacers or props
a. Training of trees may be done from the ground, from a ladder up to 12 feet in height, or from a motorized platform.
4. Applying and removing tree paint, fertilizer, sheets and/or rolls of sheets of reflective foils and like materials onto the ground between rows of trees and/or around trees.
5. Assist in removing garbage or other debris from orchards to keep a safe and sanitary work environment.
6. Planting, digging, bundling, painting, irrigating and spraying trees.
7. Tree Grafting.
8. Removal of Weeds by pulling/mowing.
9. The use of hand tools such as pruning saws, loppers, shears, shovels, hoes, clippers, and/or picking bags or containers.
10. Worker must exercise care at all times to prevent breaking of branches and limbs.
11. Harvesting of Fruit from Trees includes picking numerous varieties of apples, pears and cherries according to established company procedures accounting for difference in the treatment of different varieties.
a. Worker will hand harvest and pick fruit crops consisting of apples, cherries and/or pears in fields and orchards as required by company procedures.
b. Worker will carry or attach a harness, bucket or bag to themselves to place fruit into that can have a weight when full of fruit of up to 60 lbs.
c. Worker will carry or attach a harness, bucket or bag to themselves and pick and place low hanging fruit while standing on the ground.
d. Worker will carry or attach a harness, bucket, or bag to themselves and pick and place fruit from higher branches while standing on a ladder up to 12 feet in height to harvest fruit that cannot be reached by standing on the ground.
e. Worker will pick fruit as instructed according to grade, color and size by grasping fruit with the hands and removing it from the tree in a motion so as not to harm the fruit being picked or to harm adjacent fruit or buds on the tree branches.
f. Worker will carry or attach a harness, bucket or bag to themselves with a weight of up to 60 lbs. and will carefully place and transfer fruit into
wooden or plastic bins of various sizes.
g. Worker must exercise care at all times to prevent bruising of fruit or breaking of branches and will examine fruit and exclude any fruit not meeting the grade, color and size specifications when requested.
h. Worker may be instructed to pick culls and peelers (as directed and identified by supervisor) and drop on ground or place in bin
i. Worker may be required to selectively pick only fruit of a certain color and/or size as instructed by the supervisor.
j. Worker will be required to handle fruit carefully and not bruise or damage fruit when it is placed in the bin.
k. Observation by the supervisor of significant amounts of bruised, damaged or cull fruit as a result of picking of that fruit by worker will result in a warning and may lead to disciplinary action, up to and including termination, in accordance with employers progressive discipline policy.
12. Workers may also perform intermittent night shift packing of tree fruit.
Special Requirements
GENERAL CONDITIONS APPLICABLE TO ALL WORK AND CROPS:
1. Field work begins at assigned time shortly after daylight. Work may be performed during light rain or snow and/or in high humidity and/or in low humidity conditions, and in temperatures ranging from 10 degrees Fahrenheit (-12 degree Celsius) up to 105 degrees Fahrenheit (41 degrees Celsius). Workers may be required to work in orchard when trees are wet with dew/rain and should have suitable clothing for variable weather conditions.
2. All types of orchard work. Work is performed on level or flat sloped surfaces and may require an orchard ladder up to 12 feet in height.
3. The use of hand tools, such as pruning saws, loppers, shears, clippers, and/or picking bags, buckets or other containers, may be required to perform the job, including while working on a ladder.