SeasonalJobs.dol.gov

Job Description

Full Time:

Yes

Number of Workers Requested:

165

Job Duties:

Crops/Commodities: apples. This job requires a minimum of three months of verifiable prior agricultural employment experience working in a tree fruit orchard performing manual and mechanical tasks associated with production and harvest or packing house activities.Workers must be able to perform manual as well as mechanized activities with accuracy and efficiency. This application encompasses the main jobs performed in a fruit orchard during production and harvest seasons. Workers must perform work assigned and may not perform duties not provided in this application, or work in areas not assigned without the specific authorization of the foreman or crew boss. Workers will be expected to perform any of the listed duties as assigned by his/her supervisor. Tasks include: Fruit harvest/picking Picking apples for the fresh market. Quality is essential. Ladders ranging from 14 ft. to 20 ft. in length and weighing from 35 to 50 lbs. each are used. Care must be taken when picking fruit not to damage or bruise fruit. Properly filled fruit buckets weigh up to 40 lbs. Pickers are required to snap fruit off of tree using their thumb and palm of hand to avoid bruising. Each piece of fruit must be carefully placed in bucket to avoid bruising. Foreman or owner will give demonstrations of how the fruit must be picked; picking requirements will be explained to all workers prior to the season’s start. Workers must obey all safety rules when applying or handling pesticides. The employer has established a picking bruise standard to which all pickers must adhere as follows: A roving inspector paid for by the employer selects random samples from bins. Apples will be graded and scored for amount of bruises and amount of spurs/trash in the bin. Scoring is according to USDA standards for US Fancy grade or better. Standards are explained and demonstrated to all workers prior to season’s start. Inspectors review the results of the inspection immediately with the supervisor. Fruit picking tasks generally begin in early August and terminate the first week in November. Fruit Packing Grade and pack fruit by hand or with mechanized packing equipment, including but not limited to bagging machines, bin feeding machines, box machines, labeling machines, regular and high stacking forklifts. Sort graded fruit in appropriate containers according to packing instructions. Deliver pallets of finished product to cold storage. Load/unload product. Prepare orders for shipping. Keep material and product records accurately. Fruit tree pruning Workers may also be required to work in orchard performing both manual and machine tasks associated with pruning and fruit tree cultivation. Careful pruning requires knowledge of what to prune, how much to prune and fruit trees’ growth habits. The primary reason for pruning fruit trees is to improve fruit quality and increase crop marketability and value. Apple production requires regular tree maintenance and pest management to produce quality fruit. Workers are expected to possess or acquire pruning skills in order to be able to identify and remove stubs or broken branches, downward-growing branches, branches which rub against each other, shaded interior branches, dead wood and shoots/suckers with hand pruning saws and clippers, mechanized clippers and pole pruners. Occasionally workers may be required to use chain saws and other mechanized equipment in pruning activities. Workers must be able to perform all activities with accuracy and efficiency. Workers must possess proficiency with both hand tools and mechanical pruning equipment. Pruning tasks may continue throughout the season. Fruit Tree Thinning: While thinning trees, workers will be instructed as to how close together fruit should be spaced and which fruit are most desirable to leave or take. The supervisor will set a standard or pattern for each orchard and will demonstrate and communicate this to workers.

Job Classification:

45-2092.00 - Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse

Job Requirements

Experience Required:

Yes

Months of Experience Required:

3

Special Requirements:

This job requires a minimum of three months of verifiable prior agricultural employment experience working in a tree fruit orchard performing manual and mechanical tasks associated with production and harvest or packing house activities. Workers must be able to perform manual as well as mechanized activities with accuracy and efficiency. Saturday work required. Must be able to lift/carry 60 lbs. Employer-paid post-hire drug testing is required upon reasonable suspicion of use.

Number of Hours Per Week:

40

Work Schedule (Start/End time):

7:00 A.M. - 2:45 P.M.

Employer Information

Company Name:

Mt. Clifton Fruit Company, LLC

Location:

Timberville, VA 22853

Telephone Number:

+15408963079

Worksite

Address:

17581 Mechanicsville Road, Timberville, VA 22853

Job Order Details

ETA Case Number:

H-300-22146-216034

Multiple Worksites:

No

Additional Wage Information:

Apple Harvest - $0.77 for a picking bag or bucket equivalent to ¾ bushel. Estimated average at 19 bag dumps/hr = $14.63/hr

Date Posted:

6/2/2022

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