Farm Laborer

Job description

The farm work position includes duties associated with planting, transplanting, cultivating, harvesting, grading, loading, and unloading of blueberries; the pruning and upkeep of blueberry plants; deploying, maintaining, and repairing field irrigation components; farm, field and maintenance, sanitation, and post-harvest cleanup as well as duties related to the deployment and maintenance of in-field irrigation and frost protection general field and crop care; farm vehicle operation.

The outlined job duties will require workers to stand, walk, stoop, bend, and lift up to 85 pounds. These tasks will require individuals to work quickly and consistently and for long periods of time outdoors in all weather conditions. Workers must use care when performing their farm work duties and exercise consciousness to not damage or bruise the fruit and vegetables. It also includes making important decisions based on size, coloring, and ripeness according to prescribed standards.

Workers must adhere to all safety rules as instructed by their supervisors and all farm work operations must meet the standards and specifications given by the employer This work requires adherence to important food safety and quality standard operating procedures and the ability to work quickly and consistently alongside fellow workers with a positive, professional, team-based attitude and a consideration for the safety and health of fellow workers and of the consumers who will purchase and consume the fresh produce grown, harvested, packed, and shipped from the farm.

Blueberries: Farm work primarily includes the planting, transplanting, cultivating, harvesting, grading, loading, and unloading of blueberries; the pruning and upkeep of blueberry plants; deploying, maintaining, and repairing field irrigation components; general field and crop care. Workers will be assigned a row or series of rows and required to select and pick produce according to criteria outlined and demonstrated by managers such as size, coloring, and ripeness. They will be responsible for in-field grading and discarding of poor quality, rotting, and/or over-ripened produce. Workers will gently load the good quality produce into containers taking care to avoid damage or bruising. Workers need to use both hands while grading at all times. Workers will be given instructions and a demonstration on proper pruning as well as hand weeding. After the cutting all debris will be removed from the field and burned. Workers may also be required to mulch open holes in the plastic rows to help with weeds or fix irrigation. The tools will be returned to the employer at the end of the task. Instruction will be given for each task and standards of performance communicated to workers.