General Farmworkers/laborers

Job description

Specific Job Requirements:

APPLE Harvest: Worker will hand harvest apples. Worker will attach harness, bucket or bag and picks low hanging fruit while standing on the 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 harness, bucket or bag of up to 60 lbs. and will place fruit into bins, which hold approximately 22 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. Workers must possess ability to pick up, handle a 10 ft. or 12 ft. orchard ladder weighing 40 pounds.

CHERRY Harvest: Worker will hand harvest cherries. Worker will attach harness, bucket or bag and pick low hanging fruit while standing or on a ladder. Worker will pick according to grade, color and size by grasping stem 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 harness, bucket or bag of up to 20 lbs. and will place fruit into bins which hold approximately 320 pounds of fruit. Workers must possess ability to pick up, handle a 10 ft. or 12 ft. orchard ladder weighing 40 pounds. Care must be exercised at all times to prevent bruising of fruit or breaking of branches.

THINNING: Thinning is a manual process used to control the size and quality of grown fruit. Must possess ability to pick up, handle a 10 ft. or 12 ft. orchard ladder weighing 40 pounds. This process requires the employee to remove, in some cases not limited to the smallest fruit blossom, bud and/or identifiable fruit from within a cluster of other fruits. Workers will be expected to be able to identify and remove fruit that is misshapen, damaged and/or with other quality problems as directed by supervisors. Thinning may be performed from a motorized platform and/or from the ground or a ladder.

TRAINING:
Training of apple and cherry trees to limb tying, trellis tying or clipping limbs to wire
Training and limb positioning of apples and cherry trees
Hand thinning of apple and cherry trees to ensure proper crop load
Shoot thinning, sucker removal, cluster thinning, shoot positioning, hedging, leaf removal for apple and cherry trees
Propping and tying of cherries and apples trees
Training may be performed from a motorized platform and/or from the ground or a ladder.

Pruning: Pruning numerous varieties of apple and cherries trees according to established company procedures based on the difference in the treatment of different varieties. Work will be performed on trees for long periods of time using a variety of pruning equipment including but not limited to hand shears., hand loppers and hand saws. Pruning may be done from the ground or a ladder up to 12 feet in height or from a motorized platform. The Worker may be required to selectively prune only trees of certain size and color as instructed by the crew supervisor.

Special Requirements

*SEE ADDENDUM C

4e) Must be able to lift and/or load 60lbs.
4g) Work may take place when temperatures are below freezing and above 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
4h) May require extensive pulling and/or pushing of tools, wheel barrows, fruit containers, etc.
4i) May require worker to sit and/or walk for extensive periods of time while sorting, picking, examining, weeding, transporting, pruning, etc.
4j) Workers will be required to stoop and/or bend over while performing farm labor such as weeding, irrigating, pruning, picking, removing debris, etc. 4k) There will be repetitive movements while performing most of the farm labor duties, for example picking, sorting, pruning, shoveling, weeding, etc.