Orchard Workers

Job description

Manually cultivate, harvest, grade and pack peaches; plant peach trees and pecan trees. Perform ongoing peach and pecan orchard maintenance including pruning and thinning trees. Use hand tools such as clippers, shovels, trowels, hoes, tampers, pruning hooks, shears and knives. Till soil, transplant, weed, thin and prune crops; clean and load harvested products; cut and drag broken limbs from field and mow; remove any vines, suckers, shoots or debris that may deter the function or growth of trees. Participate in irrigation activities. 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. Receive, grade, sort or classify peaches by size, weight, color, or condition. Remove leaves from peaches and cull defective fruit as defined by grading standards as peaches move across grading tables. Discard inferior or defective peaches and/or foreign matter. Place graded fruit in appropriate containers by attending automatic filler or by hand according to grade and pack style. Mark grade, style or size on containers. Place filled containers on conveyors or in specified areas. Stack filled containers on pallets by prescribed pattern and height according to size, grade, brand, label or other identification. Apply strapping or other stabilizing materials to finished pallets manually with hand tools or using automatic equipment. Record product, packaging and order information on specified forms and records. Apply tags or printed labels to containers. Measure, weigh, count and record finished products. Examine and inspect containers, and materials to ensure that packing specifications are met. Assemble cartons, inserts, crates and containers by hand or using container assembly machinery. Clean containers, materials, supplies, or work areas using cleaning solutions and hand tools. Workers must harvest fruit of desired ripeness and use care when harvesting not to damage or bruise produce. Workers who have a valid driver’s license and doctor’s certificate may drive employer’s vans or other transportation vehicles and may be offered additional hours. Assist with Good Agricultural Practices policies.

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. Employer reserves the right to discharge an obviously unqualified worker, malingerer or recalcitrant worker who is physically able but is unwilling to perform the work necessary for the employer to grow a premium quality product, or for any other lawful reason.

Employer may request, but not require, workers to work more than the stated daily hours and/or on a worker’s Sabbath or federal holidays. Worker must report to work at designated time and place each day. Daily or weekly work schedule may vary due to weather, sunlight, temperature, crop conditions, and other factors. Employer will notify workers of any change to start time.

Workers should expect occasional periods of little or no work because of weather, crop or other conditions beyond the employer's control. These periods can occur anytime throughout the season. Workers may be assigned a variety of duties in any given day and different tasks on different days.

TERMINATION. All workers will be subject to a two day introductory period, during which the employer will evaluate workers' performance of required tasks. Employer reserves the right to terminate a worker at the conclusion of the introductory period if the worker’s performance fails to satisfy the employer’s reasonable expectations, or is otherwise unacceptable.

Special Requirements

Two months of verifiable fruit orchard experience required. Work outside in inclement weather, especially extreme heat or cold for extensive periods of time; perform prolonged bending, stooping, standing, pushing/pulling and walking; use of repetitive hand movements while pruning, thinning, picking peaches, spreading fertilizer or grading crops; use a stool or 2 ft ladder to reach tree limbs; reach overhead for extended periods of time while pruning trees; lift, carry and load up to 50 lbs.; and hoist up to 30 lbs. overhead and support 35 lbs. over the shoulder while walking for prolonged periods of time. Must be 18 or older. Employer is a drug free workplace. 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.