Farmworker

Job description

This is Specific Job Requirements relating to Apples and Wine Grapes:
APPLES Harvest: The Worker will hand harvest apples 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 and removing from the tree in a motion so as not to harm adjacent buds on the tree branches. The Worker will carry harness, bucket or bag of up to 60 lbs. and will place fruit into wooden bins, 4x4x3 which hold approximately 25 bushels of fruit. Care must be exercised at all times to prevent bruising of fruit or breaking of branches. Some workers may be required to examine harvested fruit in plastic/wooden bins and sort out any fruit not meeting the grade, color and size specifications. Workers must possess ability to pick up, handle a 10 ft. or 12 ft. orchard ladder weighing 40 pounds.

GRAPE Harvest: Workers will hand and/or machine harvest wine grapes. Worker will harvest numerous varieties of grapes according to established company procedures accounting for difference in the treatment of different varieties. When asked by the supervisor worker will operate the grape harvesting machine. The fruit will be placed on either a plastic tub or stainless steel bin. Care must be exercised at all time to prevent breaking of vineyards and to maximize the quality of the fruit. Some workers may be required to examine harvested fruit in 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. The Worker must possess the ability to pick up, handle a 10 ft. or 12 ft. orchard ladder weighing 40 pounds. Furthermore, the Worker must be able to use scissor like clippers. 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. Thinning may be performed from a motorized platform and/or from the ground or a ladder.

PRUNING: Pruning numerous varieties of apple 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 ladder 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.

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.

Special Requirements

Please see Addendum C B.4 Additional Requirements of Job Offer , B.6 General Conditions of Employment, B.6 Other Conditions of Employment, B.6 Other Conditions of Employment Cont., B.6 Washington Pesticide Attestation

This application requires any applicant to have 3 months tree fruit experience.