- Full Time:
- Yes
- Number of Workers Requested:
- 26
- Job Duties:
- General Labor: Under the direction of a crew supervisor, this application encompasses harvest of apples, pears and cherries as well as thinning, pruning, training and other orchard labor. The tree fruit laborer may perform duties from the ground and/ or utilizing a ladder. The tree fruit laborer must possess the ability to pick-up and handle a 10 - 12 ft. orchard ladder. The tree fruit laborer will be assigned work by the supervisor and may perform any of the duties herein. The tree fruit laborer will harvest in a safe, effective manner obeying all work and safety rules, being observant of moving equipment, slip and trip hazards and other potentially dangerous situations, reporting them to supervisors. The tree fruit laborer will report all injuries and use safety procedures while handling ladders.
Cherry Harvest: The worker will hand harvest cherries from the ground and/or utilizing a ladder. The worker will attach the harness, bucket or bag and pick low hanging fruit. The worker will pick according to grade, color and size by grasping fruit with their hands and removing it from the tree in a motion so as not to harm adjacent buds on the tree branches. The worker will carry a harness, bucket or bag of up to 20 lbs. and will place fruit into plastic lugs.
Pear, Nectarine, Peach & Apple Harvest: The worker will hand harvest fruit from the ground and/ or utilizing a ladder. The worker will attach the harness, bucket or bag and pick low hanging fruit. The worker will pick according to grade, color and size by grasping fruit with their hands and removing it from the tree in a motion that will not harm buds on tree branches. The worker will carry the harness, bucket or bag of up to 60 lbs. and will place the fruit into lugs. The worker must exercise care at all times to prevent bruising of fruit or breaking of branches. Some workers may be tasked with examining harvested fruit in bins and sort out any fruit not meeting the grade, color and size specifications.
Picking numerous varieties of apples, apricots, cherries, nectarines, peaches and pears according to established company procedures accounting for difference in the treatment of different varieties. Selectively pick only fruit of a certain color and/or size as instructed by the supervisor. Handle fruit carefully and not bruise or damage fruit when it is placed in the bin. Observation of bruised, damaged or cull fruit by the supervisor will result in a bad bin mark and after three bad bin marks, the workers will receive disciplinary action up to and including termination. A bad bin mark occurs when a bin is inspected and a significant number of culls, bruised or damaged are found by the supervisors.
Thinning: The worker will hand thin on a motorized platform, from the ground and/ or utilizing a ladder. The worker will use scissor like clippers to remove small fruit blossoms, buds and/ or identifiable fruit from within a cluster of other fruits. The workers must be able to identify and remove fruit that is misshapen, damaged and/or contains other quality problem.
Training: The worker will hand train fruit trees from the ground and/ or utilizing a ladder. The worker will tie, tape or clip fruit tree limbs to wires; position limbs of fruit trees; shoot thin; remove suckers, thin clusters, position shoots, hedge or remove leaves.
Pruning: The worker will hand prune trees from the ground and/ or utilizing a ladder. The worker will utilize hand shears, hand loppers, hand saws and other equipment. The worker may be required to selectively prune trees of certain size and color as instructed by their supervisor. The worker will identify and remove stubs, broken branches, downward growing branches, branches which rub against each other, shaded interior branches, dead wood, shoots and suckers with various equipment.
- Job Classification:
- 45-2092.00 - Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse