Farmworker/laborer

Job description

FARM LABORER:
Orchard/Field Clearing: Worker will conduct tasks associated with process of clearing orchard or field. Worker will use shovel to pry stones from ground and carry rocks to trailer to be removed from field /orchard. Worker will assist in removing trash, debris, roots, branches, trees, old string, and wire from trellis orchard blocks and rocks from cleared field or orchard. Some workers will drive tractor, with trailer attached, to remove debris from field/orchard or use a brownie.

General Orchard Maintenance: Worker cares for young non-producing fruit trees including weeding, hoeing, trunk painting, hand fertilizing, and growth selection by hand and clipping. Maintain pre-set grafting throughout season. Worker cares for existing orchard by removing stones/rocks with shovel, cleaning up debris and other hand tasks. Worker places straw or mulch around base of tree with hands or pitchfork. Worker may use hand tools such as chainsaw, pole saw, shovel, auger, and pitchfork.

Thinning: Thinning is a manual process used to control the size and quality of grown fruit. Worker must possess ability to pick up and handle 10-foot orchard ladder weighing 40 pounds. Worker removes smallest fruit blossom, bud and/or identifiable fruit from within fruit cluster. Worker identifies and removes misshapen, damaged and/or other not quality fruit as directed by Supervisor.

Pruning: Worker will prune numerous fruit tree varieties, in accordance to the established company procedures. Each variety may be pruned differently. Worker performs pruning on trees for long periods of time using a variety of pruning equipment including hand shears, hand loppers, hand saws, electric pruners, hydraulic pruners and up to a 10’ ladder. Pruning and thinning may be done from ground or with up to a 10’ ladder or from motorized platforms or Brownies. Worker may be required to selectively prune only certain size and color trees as instructed by Employer. Worker must 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, shoots/suckers, and root suckers. Pruning selected caliper branches/limbs may be removed and young leader selection will be performed with hand pruning saws and clippers.

Attaching, tying & spreading trees: Trees will be attached, trained and positioned to the trellis system. This will include clipping, tying or spreading limbs and shoots to wire from ground or up to 10’ ladder or from motorized platform.

Blossom removal: Worker removes smallest fruit blossom, bud and/or identifiable fruit from within fruit cluster, by hand.

Tree planting: Trees will be unbundled and handled with care as not to break and damage young trees. Trees are planted mechanically with a planter and by hand. Worker will ride the machine and place plants in the holes as the machine moves along the row. Some workers will walk along behind planter to ensure proper placement. Worker will secure tree into ground by stomping or use of shovel. Tree graft union height will be adjusted by pulling the tree until at a specific height using a specially marked stick as a measure. Straighten tree and compact soil around tree. Worker will be required to unload 100-pound boxes of trees to be planted with help of another worker. After planting is complete, worker will install tree guards around trunks, tie trees to trellis system using rubber bands, tape, etc. and use seeder to plant grass in open rows of orchard.

Tree replants: Worker will use shovel or auger to plant trees in existing orchards where old or dead trees need to be replaced. Worker will pull established trees with strap and install support poles to help straighten tree.

Tree removal: Worker will conduct tasks associated with process of clearing orchard. Manual and heavy machinery will be used.

Special Requirements

Experience Requirement : 3 verifiable months of commercial agriculture experience hand harvest of tree fruit or vegetables required. Applicants must furnish job references from recent employers within the last 3 years establishing acceptable prior experience.

Season Commitment: Job offered requires worker be available for and worker agrees to work every day that work is available for entire employment period.

Worker must be able to perform job description duties in safe manner consistent with established safety procedures.