Farmworker; Sod

Job description

Sod: Perform various activities associated with growing grass and sod at a commercial turf grass nursery. These activities will be performed exclusively in an outdoor environment. Aid in soil preparation. Will be sodding large areas, sow grass seed, plant plugs of sod grass, cuts, rolls, and stacks sod in accordance with supervisor’s instructions. Weed, hoe, and propagate. Water, fertilize, spray, monitor, trim, weed, cut, roll, stack, load, transport, and discard sod. Operate mowing equipment or drive a tractor pulling a wagon through the field or between fields. Bag certified grass seed. Perform any other activities associated with growing grass and sod in a nursery. Workers will operate trucks, forklifts, and tractors. Tractors will drag, tow, lift sod specific equipment through the fields. Workers will work with sod harvesting equipment. Workers will work with sod planting equipment. Load and unload empty pallets by hand.

Clean fields of rocks, roots, limbs, stumps, and trees. Miscellaneous cleaning and debris removal from fields and farm.

Irrigation: Workers will be required to use both center pivot and traveling gun irrigation systems, diesel, and electric irrigation pumps. Bagging of sand with shovels will be required and cleaning of debris from dams and suction lines.

General Maintenance: Workers will be responsible for performing general maintenance around the farm. This will include fence mending, mowing, and weeding eating. Workers will repair and paint buildings to ensure they are in good repair.

Farm Equipment Operation: Workers may be required to operate tractors, bobcats, mowers, weed-eaters and other farm equipment during daily operations, as an incidental activity. Before any worker is require to operate any farm equipment, workers will be instructed in the safety and operation of the tractor before driving the tractor. Tractors should be driven in a manner to protect operator, other workers, products, trees, crops, and equipment. Repeated failure to obey safety requirements and operating instructions may result in termination.

Trucks: Workers will be required to use drive field trucks in and around the farm to accomplish tasks in a supportive role to tractors and equipment. This sometimes required them to transport on non-private streets and highways.

During certain duties, workers may be required to work in teams to accomplish a certain task. When engage in teamwork activities workers must coordinate with other members of the team to accomplish the task.

Employer retains the right to discharge an obviously unqualified worker, malinger, or recalcitrant worker who is physically able but does not demonstrate the willingness to perform the work necessary for the employer to grow a premium quality product.

Full Crop Commitment: This is regular work, seven hours per day, Monday-Friday, and five hours on Saturday for the full remainder of the period of employment. The worker agrees to work for assigned employer(s) whenever work is available during the full remaining period of employment even though work may be slack at times. The worker understands that if the worker quits or is terminated for cause prior to the end of the period of employment, the worker will not receive the 3/4 guarantees and will not receive certain transportation reimbursements. Excessive tardiness and/or absences will not be tolerated and will result in termination.

Daily individual work assignments, crew assignments, and location of work, will be made by and at the sole discretion of the farm manger and/or farm supervisor as the needs of the farming operation dictate. Workers may be assigned a variety of duties in any given day and/or different tasks on different days. Workers will be expected to perform any of the listed duties and work on any crop as assigned by the worker's supervisor.

Special Requirements

All applicants must have at least 3 months experience operating 50+HP sod harvester and other equipment. Applicants must have a valid drivers license or obtain one within thirty days of hire. 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. Must be able to work in the hot humid weather for extended periods of time. Workers are subject to random drug testing at no cost to the employee. Failing or refusing a drug test will result in immediate termination.