Farmworkers/laborers

Job description

CHERRY/PEAR/APPLES/APRICOT Harvest: The Worker will hand harvest apples, pears, apricots and cherries this can be performed from a motorized platform and/or from the ground or a ladder. The Worker will attach harness, bucket or bag and picks low hanging fruit while standing on the ground and higher branches while standing on a ladder. The Worker will pick according to grade, color and size by grasping fruit with the hands as well as using stem clippers for removing fruit from the tree so as not to harm adjacent buds on the tree branches. The Worker will carry harness, bucket or bag of up to 20lbs to 60 lbs. and will place fruit into plastic lugs which hold approximately 30 pounds of fruit or wooden bins, 4’x4’x3’ which hold approximately 25 bushels of fruit. Care must be exercised at all times to prevent bruising of fruit or breaking of branches. The Worker may be required to examine harvested fruit in plastic/wooden bins and sort out any fruit not meeting the grade, color and size specifications.

THINNING: Thinning is a manual process used to control the size and quality of grown fruit. This process requires the Worker to remove, in some cases not limited to the smallest fruit blossom, bud and/or identifiable fruit from within a cluster of other fruits. The Worker will be expected to be able to identify and remove fruit that is misshapen, damaged and/or with other quality problems as directed by supervisors, worker must be able to use scissor like clippers.

TRAINING: Training is a process in which the fruit tree is manipulated to increase yield and/or quality and proper fruit load.
Some example training tasks are but not limited to:
• Tying, taping or clipping apple, pear, apricot or cherry limbs to wires.
• Tying up or down apple, pear, apricot or cherry limbs.
• Training and limb positioning of apple, pear, apricot and cherry trees.
• Shoot thinning, sucker removal, cluster thinning, shoot positioning, hedging, or leaf removal.
• Propping and supporting apple, cherry, apricot and pear trees.

PRUNING: Pruning numerous varieties of apple, cherry, apricot and pear trees according to established company procedures based on the difference in the treatment of different varieties. The Worker is expected to possess or acquire pruning skills in order to identify and remove stubs or broken branches, downward-growing branches, branches which rub against each other, shaded interior branches, dead wood and shoots/suckers with hand pruning saws and clippers, mechanized equipment in pruning activities. Work will be performed on trees for long periods of time using a variety of pruning equipment including but not limited to hand shears, hand loppers and hand saws. The Worker may be required to selectively prune only trees of a certain size and color as instructed by the crew supervisor.

The Worker is expected to possess or acquire pruning skills in order to identify and remove stubs or broken branches, downward-growing branches, branches which rub against each other, shaded interior branches, dead wood and shoots/suckers with hand pruning saws and clippers, mechanized equipment in pruning activities.

PLANTING TREES: Plant trees anytime during spring, as soon as possible after you receive them from the nursery

PAINTING TREES: Painting tree fruit trunks with white latex paint can prevent the bark from splitting and cracking off. Splitting can happen when the tree is exposed to freezing evening temperatures, followed by a daytime thawing. The painted white trunk will help reflect sunlight during the daytime hours and keep the tree warmer at night.

Special Requirements

*SEE ADDENDUM C
4e) Must be able to lift and/or load 60lbs.
4g) Work may take place when temperatures are below freezing and above 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
4h) May require extensive pulling and/or pushing of tools, wheelbarrows, fruit containers, etc.
4i) May require worker to sit and/or walk for extensive periods of time while sorting, picking, examining, weeding, transporting, pruning, etc.
4j) Workers will be required to stoop and/or bend over while performing farm labor such as weeding, irrigating, pruning, picking, removing debris, etc. 4k) There will be repetitive movements while performing most of the farm labor duties, for example picking, sorting, pruning, shoveling, weeding, etc.