Nursery Worker

Job description

Worker must possess the physical strength and endurance (ability to continue or last) to repeat the harvest process though out the workday, working quickly and skillfully to perform activities assigned during that activity. Workers must work at a sustained (continuing for an extended period of time without interruption), vigorous pace (quick and steady) and make bona fide efforts (made in earnest intent) to work efficiently (performing or functions in the best possible manner with the least waste of time and effort) and consistently (same way for a long time) that are reasonable under the climatic and other working conditions, Workers may not leave trash, or other discarded items in work areas or vehicles but must dispose of such items in provided receptacles. Workers must wash hands with soap and water after all bathroom and meal breaks. Allergies to varieties of ragweed, goldenrod, insecticides, related agricultural chemicals, etc., may affect worker’s ability to perform the work described herein.

Flowering Trees and Shrubs: Workers will be working with flowering trees and shrubs. Workers will plant, cultivate, harvest, propagate, grade, store and ship container and field grown horticultural products. Harvesting crops may include grading and tagging. Some harvesting may require digging up products and placing on pallets. Grading is done by size. Products are measured, tied in bundles, and placed in storage for shipment. Workers will harvest seed and/or take cuttings from trees and shrubs, place in containers pre-filled with growing media and transplant cuttings and seedlings to prepared areas.

Bare Root Products: Workers will handle a variety of bare root products. Workers will propagate, plant, cultivate, harvest, and prepare products for shipment.

Nursery Work: Workers will be required to start all crops from seed. Seedlings will be grown in 10 x 20 trays filled with sand or dirt and kept in a controlled environment. When seedlings reach approximately 2 inches tall, and per supervisors; instruction, workers will transplant seedlings from tray into peat pots. When seedlings reach appropriate size, approximately 6 to 8 inches tall, workers will be required to transfer from peat pots to carious selling container and transport to prepared fields for transplanting. When produce is ready for marketing workers will load onto trucks to be shipped to purchaser’s locations.

General duties: Duties performed in the field will be sporadic all through the contract due to various crops and crop conditions. Duties will/could include preparing soil, planting, pruning, cutting, deadheading, pinching, trimming to shape, spacing plants, pest management, fertilizing with granular or liquid fertilizer, cleaning work areas, transporting plant materials in the nursery/greenhouse areas, loading, and unloading plants and all other duties associated with ornamental plant production. Between harvesting, workers may be required to perform duties to prepare crops for marketing. Workers will also unload pallets from trucks or wagons into fields for transplanting. Worker may unload and restock for storage.

Loading and unloading: workers may be required to work on flatbed trailer tying B&B trees to the trailer with twine. Workers may be required to work loading or unloading bare root trees by hand into refrigerated trailers. Workers may be required to load and unload any of the greenhouse nursery stock.

Cultivation: Workers may be required to work as operators of wheel tractors pulling cultivators, mower or hilling disks.

Watering: Workers may be required to water trees by hand using pumps and hoses.

Special Requirements

All applicants must have at least 3 months experience working in a commercial tree nursery or a commercial produce farm. Applicants must be able to furnish affirmative job references from recent employers. Must be physically able to meet and perform all job specifications stated in job order, including lifting of 75 lbs. Must be able to work in the hot humid weather for extended periods of time. Workers are subject random drug testing at no cost to the employee. Failing or refusing a drug test will result in immediate termination.