Farmworker; Diversified 45-2092.00

Job description

Workers will perform all tasks involved in the growing and harvesting of crops. Crops include Strawberries, Watermelons, Pumpkins, Cantaloupe, Flowers and Blueberries
Worker must possess the physical strength and endurance (ability to continue or last) to repeat the harvest process though out the workday, working quickly and skillfully to perform activities assigned during that activity. Workers must work at a sustained (continuing for an extended period of time without interruption), vigorous pace (quick and steady) and make bona fide efforts (made in earnest intent) to work efficiently (performing or functions in the best possible manner with the least waste of time and effort) and consistently (same way for a long time) that are reasonable under the climatic and other working conditions, Workers may not leave trash, or other discarded items in work areas or vehicles but must dispose of such items in provided receptacles. Workers must wash hands with soap and water after all bathroom and meal breaks. Allergies to varieties of ragweed, goldenrod, insecticides, related agricultural chemicals, etc., may affect worker’s ability to perform the work described herein.

Sanitation Requirements: For food and general personal safety purposes, all workers will be required and expected to follow common sanitary practices at all times. This is particularly critical when hand harvesting crops for human consumption. Employees are required to cleanse their hands by washing them thoroughly with soap and water after using the bathroom and before entering the fields for harvest activities or the packing facility for packing operations.

Strawberry Nursery: Workers will help plant, weed, and remove first berries from the plants. The weeding job continues all summer on a two or three-week schedule. Workers must be careful not to cut or pull small strawberry plants when they hoe or pull weeds and grass from the nursery. At harvest time the workers will remove the plants by hand after they have first been undercut with a tractor drawn tool. Workers will remove excess soil and trash from the larger plants and place individual plants in bunches of twenty-six plants and secure bunches with a rubber band. Worker will then place plants in piles of sixteen bunches and cover the roots with a thin layer of soil prevent drying of the roots by the sun. Plants will be checked and packed by supervisory workers. Workers must exercise care not to bunch immature broken or undersized plants.

Nursery/Greenhouse Work: Work with seeding plants in trays, stacking trays, covering stacks, and moving stacks to hot room for seed germination. This includes preparing rays for seeding, moving the stacks after germination to greenhouses. Manually plant, cultivate and harvest horticultural specialties and field crops. Use hand tools, such as shovels, trowels, hoes, tampers, pruning, hooks, shears, and knives. Duties may include tilling & mixing soil & applying fertilizers, transplanting, weeding, thinning, or pruning crops, or cleaning, grading, sorting loading harvested products. May construct trellises, repair fences and farms building or participate in irrigation activities.

Special Requirements

Must have three months experience hand harvesting a perishable crop. Applicants must be able to furnish affirmative job references from recent employers. Must be able to work in the hot humid weather for extended periods of time. Workers are subject to random drug testing at no cost to the employee. All drug testing will occur after the worker begins his or her employment and is not a part of the interview process. Failing or refusing a drug test will result in immediate termination.