Farm Labor Worker

Job description

Perform manual labor to plant, transplant, cultivate, harvest, field
pack, load and unload strawberry plants, strawberries, blackberries,
pumpkins, peppers, tomatoes, beans, cabbage, sweet corn, squash and
watermelons by hand, by machine and using hand tools. Transplant
strawberry plants by removing transplants from trays, placing into
pre-dug holes in plastic covered beds and covering roots with soil. Remove
tips from the strawberry plants that are viable plugs and placed into trays.
Carry full trays to a trailer that is moving through the field. When
strawberry plants are of the correct size and maturity, workers will
carefully dig them up by hand, place a rubber band around plants, and place
banded plants into boxes. Full boxes will then be carried and loaded onto a
trailer that is moving through the field. Load strawberry plants into nursery
stock cooling units. Walk through assigned row while bending and
reaching to pick ripe strawberries and blackberries by hand without bruising
or damaging the fruit or bush. Workers must use care to pick bushes clean of
all berries of the correct color and size, as instructed by their supervisor.
Strawberries and blackberries will be picked, graded and packed into clam
shell containers according to supervisor's instructions ensuring that
there are no leaks. Once clamshells are full, workers will place them into
boxes and carry full boxes to trailers moving through the fields at the end of
the rows where fruit is inspected for quality. Workers must continuously
examine, count and check harvested berries, plants and produce. Defective
and low quality fruit/plugs will not be accepted and must be discarded. When
harvest activities are complete, workers may thin and prune the
blackberry bushes using hand clippers to encourage optimal growth for next
season. Workers must follow the pattern and instruction set forth by the
supervisors to carefully select which branches to clip. After training,
workers must have a general understanding of how pruning affects
competition with fruiting wood and how thinning is done to provide
nutrition to the developing fruit. Improper pruning can cause problems
with fruit load, fruit size, disease severity, and overall production. Plant
peppers, tomatoes, squash, cabbage,watermelons and pumpkins by hand
placing transplants into holes along rows. Insert stakes and string for
tomatoes, beans and peppers. Harvest watermelon and pumpkin by cutting
stems from the vine using knives. Workers will then pick up harvested
watermelons and pumpkins and pitch them to another worker who will either
gently place into bins or pitch it to another worker within an assembly
line. Peppers, squash, and tomatoes will be picked from plants by hand and
placed into buckets. When buckets are full, workers will carry and dump them
into bins on a trailer that is moving through rows alongside workers. Cut
cabbage using a knife and individually place into a moving truck. Sweet corn
will be harvested by pulling selected ears from the stalks, placing into
crates and loading full crates onto moving trailers. Assist in the
mechanical planting and harvesting of beans. Lay plastic to prepare beds for
planting. Bend, reach and pull up used plastic. Till soil and apply fertilizers.
Weed and clean fields. Clean, sort, count, check and load harvested
products in the field. Cut, bale, and load Christmas trees. Set up and
operate irrigation equipment. Clear and maintain irrigation ditches. Workers
must use care not to damage or bruise produce, or leave any appropriate
product on the plant during harvest. Minor activities include: tending to and
maintaining livestock and pastures; operating, repairing and maintaining
farm vehicles, implements and mechanical equipment; and repairing
fences and farm buildings.