SeasonalJobs.dol.gov

Job Description

Full Time:

Yes

Number of Workers Requested:

10

Job Duties:

Crops/Commodities: peaches, nectarines, pears, apples, and cherries. This job requires a minimum of 3 months of prior experience working in tree fruit orchards handling primarily manual tasks associated with fruit production and harvest activities. Workers must be able to perform all work activities with accuracy and efficiency. General: Workers will perform any of the following duties: Orchard clean-up, building and repairing tree trellises, removal of strings and wire from trellises and other hand tasks. Care of young non-producing fruit trees, including weeding, tree trunk painting, hand fertilizing and hand clipping. Training of apple, pear, peach and nectarine trees to trellises including limb positioning, clipping and tying limbs and shoots to wire. Must be able to train trees to trellis without constant management supervision. Propping and tying of apple, pear, peach, and nectarine trees and limbs. May operate and help maintain tractors. Planting: Workers will prepare fields for planting by clearing cull stock, brush, debris and rocks; dig holes, plant seedlings or ‘liners' by hand (including riding on the planting machine, reaching and grabbing a tree and dropping it in the hole and inserting liners in a mechanical planter); shovel and rake dirt around newly-planted trees. Thinning: Thinning is a manual process used to control the size and fruit quality of grown fruit. Employees will be given appropriate training by supervisors. Ability to pick up, use and safely handle a 16-foot orchard ladder weighing approximately 40 lbs. is necessary for performance of thinning tasks. This process requires the employee to be able to appropriately remove the smallest fruit blossom, bud and/or identifiable fruit from within a cluster of other fruits. Workers will be expected to be able to identify and remove fruit that is misshapen, damaged and/or have other quality problems as directed by supervisors. Pruning: Pruning numerous varieties of apple, cherry and pear trees according to established company procedures based on the difference in the treatment of different varieties. Work will be performed on trees for long periods of time using a variety of pruning equipment including hand shears, hand loppers, hand saws and 16-foot ladders. Pruning and thinning may be done from the ground or ladder up to 16 feet in height or from a motorized platform. Workers may be required to selectively prune only trees of a certain size as instructed by the crew boss. Harvesting: 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. Workers are expected to have requisite pruning skills 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. 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 thus increase crop marketability and value. Instructions and overall supervision and direction of workers will be provided by a company supervisor. Workers hired pursuant to this labor certification must be able to comprehend and follow instructions of a company supervisor and communicate effectively to supervisors. Unusual, complex or non-routine activities will be supervised.

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 3 months of prior experience working in tree fruit orchards handling primarily manual tasks associated with fruit production and harvest activities. Workers must be able to perform all work activities with accuracy and efficiency. Saturday work required. Must be able to lift/carry 60 lbs. Employer-paid post-hire random, upon suspicion and post-accident drug and alcohol testing required.

Number of Hours Per Week:

40

Work Schedule (Start/End time):

7:00 A.M. - 3:00 P.M.

Employer Information

Company Name:

Shanesville Fruit Farm LLC

Location:

Boyertown, PA 19512

Telephone Number:

+16103678496

Worksite

Address:

120 Schoolhouse Rd., Boyertown, PA 19512

Job Order Details

ETA Case Number:

H-300-23025-725962

Multiple Worksites:

No

Additional Wage Information:

Picking apples, Picking apples: $1.10 per bushel. The average worker can pick 21 bushel bins per hour, resulting in an average hourly wage rage of $23.10/hr.

Date Posted:

2/1/2023

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