Orchard Worker
Employer
589 Brysonia Wenksville Rd.
Biglerville, PA 17307
United States
Job description
Crops/Commodities:
Apples, peaches, grapes.
Planting: 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.
Use/handle ladders up to 16 ft. in length and weighing up to 50 lbs. or perform work on motorized platform. Harvest: 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. Supervisors may issue written disciplinary notice to workers with a significant number of culls, bruised, or damaged fruit. Repeated failure to follow quality control instructions may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.
Cultivate and harvest grapes. Install and maintain vine trellises. Tie vines to trellises. Must possess the requisite skills and knowledge of what, when, where and how much to prune on a grape vine. Identify and remove the proper canes and vines while retaining the fruiting wood and renewal spurs. Must demonstrate and consistently utilize pruning practices that assure vine balance and preserve vine health. Manage vineyard canopy management to permit light and air circulation. Install and maintain bird netting. Assist/move harvested fruit from field to processing area. May perform general tasks relative to vineyard and winery operation when work in vineyard is not available.
Mow, cut, and weed fields. Perform ditching, shoveling, hoeing, hauling, ground preparation, and multiple manual tasks. Bending, stooping and kneeling required. Use hand tools including but not limited to hoes, shovels, shears, clippers, loppers, and saws. Lift, carry, and load/unload products or supplies. Clear debris from field and clean/maintain farm buildings, structures, equipment, and work areas. Assist with farm building/field maintenance and repairs. Repair fences.
Use power equipment including but not limited to: tractors, platforms, planters, mowers, plows, sprayers, cultivators, power shears, chain saws, high lifts, skid loaders. Must operate agricultural equipment safely, with or without direction.
Work is done in the field for long periods of time. Workers may assist in handling product weighing up to 75 pounds and lifting to a height of 5 feet. Workers must work on their feet in bent positions for long periods of time. Work requires repetitive movements and extensive walking. Work required in fields when plants are wet with dew and rain, and may be required during light rain, snow, moderate winds, direct sun, high humidity and extreme temperatures. Temperatures in fields during working hours can range from 20 to over 100 degrees F. Workers may be required to work during occasional showers not severe enough to stop field operations.
Special Requirements
This job requires a minimum of three months of prior experience working in a tree fruit orchard performing manual and machine tasks associated with commodity production and harvest activities. Applicants must be able to furnish verbal or written statement establishing relevant prior work experience. Workers must be able to perform all assigned tasks with accuracy and efficiency. Saturday work required. Must be able to lift/carry 75 pounds. Employer-paid post-hire drug testing is required upon reasonable suspicion of use.