Farmworker

Job description

Christmas Trees:
Workers will perform heavy manual field work including but not limited to planting, cultivating and harvesting Christmas evergreen trees on a tree farm. Removes brush, ferns and other growth from planting area using tractor, mattocks and brush hooks. Plants seedlings using planting bar or augers. Workers must properly prune and shape trees as instructed by a company supervisor. Scatter fertilizer pellets over planted area by hand or spreader. Spray herbicides or pesticides. Shears tops and limb tips from trees as specified by supervisor to control growth, increase limb density and improve shape Selects trees for cutting according to markings or size, species and grade and fells trees using axe or chain saw. Drive trucks or tractors to transport trees from the field to central loading area. Drags cut trees from cutting area, runs trees through tree baler and loads trees onto trucks for transport. May make wreaths from cut greenery produced on the farm. Work may also include mechanized field work using power equipment. By way of example and not limitation power equipment may include tractors, planters, sprayers, cultivators and other equipment. Workers will be expected to be able to operate agricultural equipment with or without direction.

Row Crops:
Planting, Cultivating & Harvesting Row Crops - Duties may include but are not limited to: plant, cultivate, harvest and store grain crops such as field corn, wheat, rye, soybeans, forage, etc. Workers may perform a variety of other duties such as husking and shelling corn and unloading grain onto conveyors to storage bins and/or elevators.

Vegetables/Fruit:
Planting, Cultivating and Harvesting Vegetables/Fruits - Duties may include but are not limited to: plant, cultivate, harvest and pack produce in boxes, buckets, and/or crates. May assist in set-up of product for sale of crop. When harvesting cabbage, asparagus, winter squash, pumpkins workers will cut selected produce with knife or shears and place in trailer drawn through field. Workers are also expected to perform task of packing, weighing, and loading trucks. Produce may include a variety of cucumbers, squash, sweet potatoes, potatoes, peppers, grapes, berries, asparagus, broccoli, beans, cantaloupes, peas, pumpkins, melons, tomatoes, corn, and other miscellaneous fruits or vegetables.

See Addendum C

Special Requirements

Workers will be expected to conform to the specific instructions given for each days work. Assignments will be made by employer or a designated employee. Workers may be assigned a variety of duties in any given day and different tasks on the same day. Packaged produce may weigh from 50 to 75 pounds. Workers are exposed to wet weather early in the morning and through the heat of the day, working in fields. Temperatures may range from 30F to 110F. Workers may be required to work during occasional showers not severe enough to stop field operations. Employers will provide workers, without cost to them, with appropriate rain gear.Considerable bending is required. Workers should be able to work on their feet in bent, stooped or crouched positions for long periods of time and should be able to work in barns at heights of 10 to 30 feet if necessary. Allergies to grass, weeds, goldenrod, insect spray, related chemicals, etc., may affect workers ability to perform the work.