Blackberry Harvesting, Packing, And Field Work

Job description

The worker will perform job duties as assigned by supervisor. They will vary from time to time depending on crop ripening and weather. The vegetable season is temporary and will last from May to July.

The worker must be able to work outside for 7 hours a day in all kinds of weather including, but not limited to extreme cold and hot conditions, direct sunlight, and rain. Workers must have the required physical strength and endurance to repeat the process rapidly and skillfully involved in this type of work. Workers will perform prolonged walking, bending, stooping, reaching, pushing, pulling, lifting, and carrying 0-75 lbs. Due to the nature of this type of work, there will be a Probationary Period of six (6) days beginning on the first day of employment for the employee to acclimate to the job specifications listed under the Job Descriptions and Requirements. The worker will be given specific instructions as to how to properly perform the work specified in the Job Description and Requirements Section on the first day of work. Workers who do not perform the work as specified, may be terminated.

The employer will provide the tools necessary to perform the described job duties without charge to the worker. The employer will charge the worker for reasonable costs related to the workers refusal or negligent failure to return the tools or due to such workers willful damage or destruction of the tools.

Manual Pruning & Tying-The worker will be given clippers or loppers for pruning. The worker will walk down the field row and prune unnecessary shoots, cut canes that have dried out, and cut back the blackberry plants to a specified height. The remaining shoots will be tied to the trellis. The debris will be picked up manually to be disposed of properly.

Blackberry Hand Harvesting-The worker will pick the ripe blackberries off the bush by grasping the blackberries between their forefinger and thumbnail, then lightly pulling and gently twisting the fruit off the bush and letting the berries roll into the palm of the hand. The berries will then be placed in a container being careful not to overfill the
container. The blackberries should be handled with care to prevent bruising. The container will be taken to the nearest trailer where it will be field packed. The worker will then get a new container and start the process again.

Blueberry Field Packing-The worker will take the filled blackberry container and pour the blackberries out of the container and fill clams shells according to the specifications given by the supervisor. The clamshells are placed in a flat until it is filled and then handed off to the stacker.

Stickering, Stacking, and Palatizing-The employee will take the filled blackberry flat, place sticker on flat, and set it on a pallet according to supervisors specifications. The filled pallets will be hauled off to the packing shed.

A properly licensed worker will be required to transport workers to and from work each day. A properly trained worker will assist in operating various farm equipment to assist with harvest, and hauling of crop to the cooler and weigh station. A qualified worker may be requested to be a working team leader.

Equipment and Vehicle Operation-The workers may need to drive and/or operate various agricultural farm equipment and vehicles to perform the work on the farm such as but not limited to, field trucks, tractors, All terrain vehicles, refrigerated trucks, and forklifts. The workers must use safety and precaution when using agricultural farm
equipment and vehicles. All passengers must be seated and practice safety and precaution. The passengers must wait to exit the agricultural farm equipment and vehicles when the driver comes to a complete stop and gets off the vehicle. The workers will keep the agricultural farm equipment and vehicles free of trash. Only properly licensed drivers will be permitted to operate the agricultural farm equipment and vehicles.

Special Requirements

The worker must be responsible and consistent on the job. The worker must be able to lift
0-75 lbs., walk, bend, and stoop continuosly throughout the day and work in all kinds of
weather.