Beekeeper
Employer
1062 Highway 1176 and various bee yards located within Avoyelles parish
Bunkie, LA 71322
United States
Job description
Crops/Commodities:
beekeeping.
This job requires a minimum of three months of prior experience working on a honeybee farm handling both manual and machine tasks associated with beekeeping. Applicants must be able to furnish verbal or written statement establishing relevant prior work experience. Workers must be able to perform all work activities with accuracy and efficiency. Workers must be familiar with working with bees in all stages and castes, from the egg and larval stages through fully developed workers, drones and queens. Worker must be familiar with all aspects of commercial bee keeping, including assessing a colony to determine if it needs food or medicine, feeding and medicating bees, determining varroa/tracheal mite loads, maintaining hives in a healthy state, increasing number of hives, raising and replacing queens, making divides, making, painting and cleaning boxes, supering hives for honey flow. Operate queen breeding yard and produce queen bees. Manipulate and service hive structures and haul bees to and from different hive locations to ensure healthy and productive honeybee colonies. Must respond correctly to bees to harmonize with their natural cycle and keep them in the healthiest state possible for survival and profitability. Must be familiar with honeybee nucleus (“nucs”) production. General maintenance and servicing of equipment and facility, including comb protection, storage and preparation.
Workers will assist in the harvesting, extraction and storage of honey in New York. Hives will be evaluated for quality and strength. Following evaluation, proper treatment and nutrition will be administered. Subsequently, workers will prepare for and execute shipment of hives back to Louisiana.
Bees return from northeastern states in a depleted and worn-down condition. Workers will prepare to accept bees and bee equipment returning from northeastern U.S. . Hives will be fed and their condition assessed. Hives must be continually monitored during this recovery period which requires medication, feeding and evaluation to determine if additional measures will be required.
Workers with a clean driving record (no major moving violations such as but not limited to Driving While Intoxicated or Reckless Driving) and able to obtain an insurable driver's license may be required to drive company vehicles. Workers with appropriate licenses and a valid doctor's certificate may be asked to drive other workers.
Work is to be done in the field for long periods of time. Workers are expected to perform duties including boxing, weighing and loading. Workers will assist in loading trucks with product weighing up to and including 70 pounds and lifting to a height of 5 feet daily for long periods of time. Workers should be able to work on their feet in bent positions for long periods of time. Work requires repetitive movements and extensive walking. Allergies to ragweed, goldenrod, insect spray, related chemicals, etc. may affect workers’ ability to perform the job. Workers must have no fear of bees and be non-allergic to bee stings, pollen, honey or other products of the hive. Workers are exposed to wet weather early in the morning through the heat of the day. Temperatures may range from 10 to 110 F. Must be able to work in excessive humidity. Workers may be required to work during occasional showers not severe enough to stop operations. Workers should be physically able to do the work required with or without reasonable accommodations.
Employer assures that workers will be provided transportation from living quarters to work site every day (for workers who must be provided housing under the applicable regulations).
Persons seeking employment as experienced Beekeeper must be available for the entire period requested by the employer. Successful applicants will be subject to a trial period of up to 5 days during which their performance of required tasks will be evaluated.
Special Requirements
This job requires a minimum of three months of prior experience working on a honeybee farm handling both manual and machine tasks associated with beekeeping. Applicants must be able to furnish verbal or written statement establishing relevant prior work experience. Workers must be able to perform all work activities with accuracy and efficiency. Saturday work required. Must be able to lift/carry 70 lbs. Workers must have no fear of bees and be non-allergic to bee stings, pollen, honey or other products of the hive. Must be able to work in excessive humidity and heat up to 110 degrees Fahrenheit.