Farm Labor/worker

Job description

The farm work position includes duties associated farm labor tasks for production of tomatoes. This work can require standing, walking, stooping, bending, and lifting up to 75 pounds along with time outdoors in all weather conditions. It also includes adherence to instruction given in regard to proper procedures & technics based on operation of the machinery to be used to complete each task.

− Harvesting tomatoes- Using a 24 quart bucket the employee will hand pick “harvest” mature tomatoes from the plant by twisting the fruit from the vine (also remove calyz and stem from tomato) and place fruit into the bucket.  The types of tomatoes to harvest will be rounds, romas, cherries, and grapes.  Harvesting process will be repeated until the tomato bucket is full.  The harvester will lift the bucket and place on shoulder and stand upright.  The harvester will walk the filled bucket at a brisk pace to the field truck and toss filled buckets (by lifting bucket from their shoulder with both hands) to the harvest dumper.  The harvester will receive a token for each filled bucket of tomatoes.  Tokens will serve as a count of buckets harvested.  Repeat process.   
− Harvest Dumper-Harvest dumper is required to stand on the back of a flatbed truck and catch buckets of tomatoes (approximately 34 lbs).   The dumper will empty the contents of the bucket into various types of harvesting containers/trays that are stacked on pallets on the bed of the truck.  Dumper will place a token inside the bucket and return empty bucket back to the harvester on the ground.  The harvest dumper will serve as quality control and ensure that tomato in buckets meets the company’s quality standard.  The dumper will monitor the cleanliness of the containers/trays and remove any addition vegetation from produce inside the harvest containers/trays and toss unwanted vegetation onto the ground.  As containers/trays reach full capacity, the harvest dumper will stack additional empty containers on top of the full container and continue with the process.
− Vine Ripe Tomato Harvester (Rounds, Roma)-Using a 15.3 quart harvesting bucket the employee will hand pick “harvest” tomatoes of a specified maturity & color and place fruit into the harvesting bucket.  The employee will then carry fully harvested bucket to a parked box truck at the field pathway. Employee will exchange filled bucket for another empty bucket and repeat the process.
− Vine Ripe Tomato Grader (Rounds, Roma)-While in the field employee will sort harvested tomato buckets and transfer fruit to another container based on maturity, color, shape and size. 
− Daily Work-Misc. farm tasks
− Plastic Laying/Repair – Ride plastic machine and change out drip tape and plastic roles (weight +/- 100 lbs.) with 2 people.  Shovel dirt on row ends (bury). Ride fertilizer hopper and maintain flow of fertilizer with shovel. 
− Mark and Measure – walk fields to mark 100’ intervals with spray paint
− Irrigation Hook-up/Installation/Drainage – use shovel to make shallow trench to connect irrigation pipe or redirect water
− Planting (Machine)- Load planter with plant trays and ride or walk behind planter to assure plants are at center of hole, proper depth, and no skips. Pull sporadic weeds growing from plastic as needed.
− Replant- Walk along plant bed holding plant tray and replanting weak, dead, or missing plants at proper depth
− Stake Repair – carry stakes (+/- 40’) to repair/replace areas with broken stakes, and/or tie broken stake to a new one
− Mopping Bed Top- Mopping top of beds
− Rouging plants/weeds- removing unwanted plants/weeds
− Hand Punch Fertilizer – punch hole in plant bed and apply dry fertilizer with cup
− Farm Truck Safety Cutouts- Cutting walk ways within plant beds every 50 feet