Farm Worker

Job description

Plant, cultivate, and harvest various tree fruits, strawberries, cherries, grapes, kiwi and gooseberries. Spot and/or strip pick fruit based on seasonal need. Snap fruit off tree with thumb and palm of hand to avoid stem pulls, punctures, bruising, or other damage. Hand pick fruit leaving stems attached. Pick culls and peelers. Fill fruit buckets and place fruit in bins, baskets or buckets. Follow supervisor/foreman's instructions on color/size requirements. Must be able to differentiate between colors and fruit varieties accurately. Hand thin to control the size and quality of fruit. Remove fruit blossom, bud and/or identifiable fruit from within a cluster of other fruits. Must accurately identify and remove misshapen, damaged or otherwise unmarketable fruit. Identify defects (bird pecks, limb rubs, splits, sunburn) and other damage. Hand prune based on fruit variety. Manage orchard canopy to permit light and air circulation. Thin fruit and remove shoots, leaves and vines. Performs orchard maintenance activities including but not limited to weed control and trellis installation and repair. Install and maintain bird netting. Assist/move harvested fruit from field to processing area. May perform general indoor tasks or post-harvest activities when outdoor orchard work is not available (all such activities will be performed incident to or in conjunction with orchard operation). Use manual and mechanized pruning tools and equipment. Identify and remove stubs or broken branches, downward-growing branches, branches rubbing against each other, shaded interior branches, dead wood and shoots-suckers. Identify and remove the proper canes and vines while retaining the fruiting wood and renewal spurs. Must demonstrate and consistently utilize pruning practices that assure vine balance and preserve tree and vine health. Workers may be asked to deliver, and setup produce at farm market for sale.

Workers injured on the job and unable to perform the full range of duties may be offered light duty, if available. Light duty tasks may vary depending on availability of task, nature of worker's injury, and instructions from worker's physician. Light duty tasks may include blight checking, fruit checking/quality control, light picking/pruning/thinning/sorting, or tree counting.

Plant, cultivate and harvest vegetables. Use hand tools including, but not limited to shovels, hoes and knives. Plant roots, seeds and bulbs. Spread plastic or other ground covering. Clean plastic by hand from ground upon removal. Till soil. Weed and thin plants. Transplant plants by hand. Stake/tie plants, trellis/prune plants, and set poles and wires for vine plants. Pick, cut, lift, or pull crops. Tie vegetables in bunches. Grade, size and field pack product. Take care to prevent damaging produce and plants.

Install/maintain irrigation systems and water lines. Move and install irrigation pipes and equipment. Dig and maintain ditches. Install and remove levee gates.

Workers must operate all equipment properly and in a manner that protects operator, others, the employer's products and property. Failure to comply with safety requirements and operating instructions may result in disciplinary action up to and including immediate termination.

Mow, cut, and weed fields. Perform ditching, shoveling, hoeing, hauling, ground preparation, and other manual tasks. Bending, stooping and kneeling required. Use hand tools including but not limited to hoes, shovels, shears, clippers, loppers, and saws. Lift, carry, and load/unload products or supplies. Assist with farm building/field maintenance and repairs. Build/repair fences. As a minor task, workers may be asked to collect eggs laid on the farm or water, herd livestock as they exist on the farm, and split firewood.

Must wear assigned personal protective equipment when required. Must report for work daily wearing work clothing and boots or other durable footwear.

Special Requirements

This job requires a minimum of 3 months of agricultural field work experience working in an orchard handling manual tasks including harvesting activities, pruning, thinning and harvesting activities. Applicants must be able to furnish verbal or written statement establishing relevant prior work experience. Repetitively stoop, bend, push, pull, sit and walk, cut and haul plant debris, lift and carry up to 50 lbs, reach overhead for extended periods of time while using an 8 ft. ladder, and work outdoors in extremely hot, cold and/or wet weather. Employer is a drug-free workplace. Must be 18 years or older. Workers with clean driving record and/or insurable driver's license may be required to drive company vehicles.