Field Worker

Job description

CHERRY Harvest: The employees will hand harvest cherries. This can be performed from a motorized platform and/or from the ground or a adder. The employees will attach harness, bucket or bag and pick low hanging fruit while standing or on a ladder. The employees will pick according to grade, color and size by grasping fruit with the hands and removing from the tree in a motion so as not to harm adjacent buds on the tree branches. The employees will carry harness, bucket or bag of up to 20 lbs. and will place fruit into plastic lugs which hold approximately 30

pounds of fruit. Care must be exercised at all times to prevent bruising of fruit or breaking of branches. Some employees may be required to examine harvested fruit in plastic/wooden bins and sort out any fruit not meeting the grade, color and size specifications. The employee must possess the ability to pick-up, handle a 10 fl. or 12 ft. orchard ladder weighing up to 40 pounds.

APPLES Harvest: The employee will hand harvest apples this can be performed from a motorized platform and/or from the ground or a ladder. The employee 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 employee will pick according to grade, color and size by grasping fruit with the hands and removing from the tree in a motion as not to harm adjacent buds on the tree branches. The employee will carry harness, bucket or bag of up to 60 lbs. and will place fruit into 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

if branches. The employee may be required to examine harvested fruit in bins and sort out any fruit not meeting the grade, color and size specifications. The employee must possess the ability to pick-up; handle a 10 ft. or 12 ft. orchard ladder weighing up to 40 pounds.

THINNING: Thinning is a manual process used to control the size and quality of grown fruit. The employee must possess the ability to pick up, handle a 10 ft. or 12 ft. orchard ladder weighing 40 pounds. Furthermore, the employee must be able to use scissor like clippers. This process requires the employee 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 employee 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. Thinning may be performed from a motorized platform and/or from the ground or a ladder.

TRAINING: Training is a process in which the fruit tree is manipulated to increase yield and/or quality. The employee must possess ability to pick up, handle a 10 ft. or 12 ft. orchard ladder weighing 40 pounds. Training may be performed from a motorized platform and/or from the round or ladder. Some example training tasks are but not limited to:

Tying, taping or clipping apple or cherry limbs to wires.

Tying up or down apple or cherry limbs.

Training and limb positioning of apple or cherry trees.

Shoot thinning, sucker removal, cluster thinning, shoot positioning, hedging, or leaf removal. Propping and supporting apple trees.

PRUNING: Pruning numerous varieties of apple and cherry trees according to established company procedures based on the difference in the treatment of different varieties. 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, hand saws. Furthermore, the worker must possess ability to pick up, handle a 10 ft. or 12 ft. orchard 1adder weighing 40 pounds. Pruning may be done from the ground or a ladder up to 12 feet in height or from a motorized platform. The 'worker may be required to selectively prune only trees of a certain size and color as instructed by the crew supervisor.

Special Requirements

Minimum Job Qualifications: Three months of experience in fruit harvest. Specific requirements include lifting up to 50 pounds frequently and able to use hand tools, including cutting knives. Must be able to work under conditions where skin and clothing become heavily soiled with mud, water, grease, etc. Must be able to work outdoors in inclement weather conditions, including rain, cold, high winds, etc. Work involves frequent bending and working in bent or stooped positions. Must be able to walk and stand up extensively. No smoking, alcohol, firearms in the field or residential housing.