Farmworkers And Laborers

Job description

Workers will perform various duties on a Christmas Tree farm which may include cultivating color tinting, baling, hauling, loading and harvesting Christmas evergreen trees on a Christmas-tree farm. Removes brush, ferns, and other growth from planting area using hand tools such as mattock, brush hook, hoe, axe sling blade. Will hand plant seedlings, using mattock or dibble. May scatter fertilizer pellets over planted area by hand. May spray herbicides or pesticides. Shears tops and limb tips from trees, as specified by supervisor to control growth, increase limb density, and improve shape. Harvesting Christmas evergreen trees on a Christmas tree farm. Selects Christmas trees for cutting according to markings or size, species, and grade as directed by the grower or supervisor. Will cut trees using chain saw or axe as directed by grower or supervisor. Will drag trees that range in weight from 50 to 100 lbs. from cutting area to field loading area and lift onto mechanical tree bailer to be bailed. Trees weighting 100 lbs. will be moved in teams of 2 or more. Will load trees onto field trucks or trailers for transport to a central staging area where trees will be unloaded, sorted and grouped according to size, species and quality specifications as directed by the grower or supervisor. May drive trucks or tractors on an incidental basis, as is the norm in the industry, in and around the field or from the field to central loading areas. Workers will load Christmas trees into box trailers for shipment to market according to supervisors instructions. Workers must exercise care not to break or damage limbs of trees when working around and handling trees. Work is physically challenging and will be performed in steep mountainous terrain in varying weather that includes, but is not limited to cold, rain, snow, and sleet. 

Prune and pull cut Christmas trees to end of row or to assigned area. Load trees onto trailer and unload trees placing into piles as instructed. Shear trees with proper taper for quality. Shake and bale trees. Remove tree stumps and debris from fields. Tie/position trees by tying or wrapping as necessary. Pack, label, tag, pull and sort trees. Mow, cut, and weed fields. Perform ditching, shoveling, hoeing, hauling and other manual tasks. Use hand tools including but not limited to rakes, hoes, shovels, shears, clippers, loppers, brush hooks, axes, saws, chainsaws and knives. Lift, carry, and load/unload products or supplies. Clean/sanitize fields, work areas and equipment. Maintain and repair equipment. Workers may be required to operate tractors, skidloader and other farm equipment during daily operations, as an incidental activity. Before any worker is required to operate any farm equipment, workers will be instructed in the safety and operation of the tractor before driving the tractor. Tractors should be driven in a manner to protect operator, other workers, products, trees, crops, and equipment. Repeated failure to obey safety requirements and operating instructions may result in termination. As a minor activity, workers may prepare fields/soil for planting, transplant, train, trim, shear, space and cull trees and/or plants to ensure availability of marketable products. Workers may make wreaths & garland/roping from cut greenery produced on the farm. Workers who have a valid drivers license may drive vehicles.

Special Requirements

Employer may conduct drug/alcohol testing post-employment and at the employer's expense.

Employer may conduct criminal background checks post-employment and at the employer's expense.