Farm Worker

Job description

Crops/Commodities:
Strawberries, raspberries, peaches, sweet corn, corn, tomatoes, green beans, peppers, squash, pumpkins, grain, soybeans, wheat, hay, and straw..
Plant, cultivate and harvest fruits and vegetables. Plant roots, seeds and bulbs. Lay plastic or other groundcovering. Remove plastic from the ground after use and load used plastic on a loader to remove it from the field. Till soil. Weed and thin plants. Transplant plants by hand or by riding a mechanical transplanter. 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. Work in fields. Perform manual and machine tasks associated with grain and hay crops production, including but not limited to: operating a utility vehicle used to haul product and waste; operate a farm tractor pulling a wagon upon which product is being loaded and unloaded; unloading and cleaning grain bins; and unloading and stacking hay and straw. Work in fields. Prune, plant, cultivate and hand-harvest berries. Spread and remove ground covers. Trellis berry plants. Train berry canes. Monitor growth for tipping/pruning. Pick/harvest berries according to quality standards. Load/transport harvested produce. Clean and pack produce in the packing shed.

Propagate plants by placing buds/scions. Plant seedlings or 'liners' by hand or with mechanical planter. Clear cull stock, brush and debris. Dig holes and shovel dirt. Tree Training: hoeing, tree painting, weed mat application. Tie/position trees and limbs, together and to trellises, using string, tape, wire or other fasteners and supports. Thinning: 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. Pruning: Hand pruning based on fruit variety. 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.

Grade, size, and sort product according to color, shape, size, appearance, feel, and/or quality, in accordance with supervisor's instructions and employer standards. Inspect products for damage/defects and discard inferior products and foreign matter. Place product in bins/trays and other containers according to grade and mark grades on containers. Weigh products and record weight and/or grade. Handle product carefully to prevent damage. Operate equipment safely, with or without direction. Must follow quality control standards and production procedures. Clean/sanitize work station and equipment.

Install/maintain irrigation systems and water lines. Move and install irrigation pipes and equipment. Dig and maintain ditches. Install and remove levee gates. Apply pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and other crop protectants. Mix and apply fertilizers, plant growth chemicals, conditioners, and other plant related treatments at the correct times depending on plant type, growth, climate and crop conditions.

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. Pick culls and peelers. Fill fruit buckets and place fruit in bins. Follow supervisor/foreman's instructions on color/size requirements. Must be able to differentiate between colors and fruit varieties accurately. Supervisors will explain and demonstrate picking requirements to all workers at the start of the season and as needed thereafter to ensure quality standards. Bruised or damaged fruit will be noted by supervisor(s) in a post-inspection quality report.

Special Requirements

This job requires 3 months of verifiable prior experience working on a vegetable and/or fruit farm handling both manual and machine tasks associated with commodity production and harvest activities. Applicants must be able to furnish verifiable job reference(s) or comparable third party documentation from recent employer(s) establishing acceptable prior experience. Saturday work required. Must be able to lift/carry 60 lbs. Employer-paid post-hire drug testing is required after a worker has an accident at work. Employer-paid post-hire drug testing is required for all newly-hired employees before starting work.