Orchard Workers
Employer
Lanes Farm Office - 50 Lane Road (32°33'18"N 83°49'42"W)
Fort Valley, GA 31030
United States
Job description
Perform manual labor to plant, cultivate, harvest, grade and pack peaches, apples and pecans. On-going orchard maintenance including planting, pruning, and thinning peach, apple and pecan trees. Hand harvest peaches according to supervisor’s instructions, place in bucket or container, take and dump into bins on trailers moving alongside workers. Harvest apples, place in picking bag, place in bin and pack in packing shed. Workers must harvest fruit of desired ripeness and use care when harvesting not to damage or bruise produce. Grade, sort and place produce into containers in field and in shed. Use hand tools such as shovels, trowels, hoes, tampers, pruning hooks, shears, knives, stools and small ladders. Duties may include tilling soil; transplanting; weeding, thinning, or pruning crops; counting and checking in the field or shed; recording information; cleaning and loading harvested products. May construct trellises, repair fences, pallets and farm buildings, or participate in irrigation activities. Set up and operate irrigation equipment. Operate farm vehicles, tractors, tractor-drawn machinery, self-propelled machinery, and equipment to plow, harrow and fertilize soil, or to plant, cultivate, spray, harvest, grade, pack, load and/or unload products or materials. Harvest crops by hand. Bin check-in as crops are brought into the packing shed from the field. Crops will be graded in the field and in the packing shed by size, weight, color, or condition. Discard inferior or defective products and/or foreign matter. Workers need to use both hands at all times when grading. Weigh products or estimate their weight, visually or by feel. Place products in containers, by hand or attending to fillers, according to grade. Hand-level crops to assure an even level of product in each container and any excess product will be placed in another container as instructed. Close and seal boxes and stack onto pallets according to supervisor’s instructions. Fill machine with labels. Make and stack boxes. Apply pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers to crops. Inform farmers or farm managers of crop progress. Identify plants, pests and weeds to determine the selection and application of pesticides and fertilizers. Clear and maintain irrigation ditches; clear and maintain orchards and fields. Record information about crops, such as pesticide use, yields and costs. As a minor activity plant, cultivate and harvest strawberries, blackberries, apples and muscadines. Plant and cultivate corn for maze. Crops must be handled carefully to avoid bruises, fingernail cuts or damage. Perform farm, field and shed sanitation duties. Using the employer’s vehicles, licensed drivers may transport workers and may be offered additional hours. Repair and maintain farm vehicles, implements, and mechanical equipment. Assist with Good Agricultural Practices policies. Workers must have a general understanding of how pruning affects competition with fruiting wood and how thinning is done to provide nutrition to the developing fruit. Improper pruning can cause problems with fruit load, fruit size, disease severity, and overall production. Cultivate and harvest row crops. In the event that it becomes necessary for the employer to provide three meals per day to each worker at the on-site cafeteria, due to unforeseen circumstances, the employer will arrange transportation for workers to the cafeteria when employer provided housing is more than a mile away. Allergies to ragweed, goldenrod, honey bees, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, or related chemicals may affect a worker’s ability to perform the job. Persons seeking employment in this position must be available for the entire period requested by the employer.
Special Requirements
Three months of verifiable experience is required in horticultural pruning and thinning and working in a fruit orchard or in grading fruits or vegetables. Work outside in inclement weather, especially extreme heat or cold for extensive periods of time. Perform prolonged bending, standing, walking, pushing, pulling, use of repetitive hand movements while grading or spreading fertilizer. Use a stool or ladder to reach tree limbs. Reach over head for extended periods of time while pruning trees. Climb 8 ft. ladders, lift, carry, and load up to 50 lbs., hoist up to 30 lbs. over head and support 35 lbs. over the shoulder while walking for prolonged periods of time. Must be 18 or older. Employer is a drug free work place. Drug testing is conducted post hire at the employers expense and is not part of the interview process. Negative results are required before starting work.