- Full Time:
- Yes
- Number of Workers Requested:
- 20
- Job Duties:
- Fieldworker. Prepare soil for planting, plant, transplant, cultivate and harvest crops. Load and unload crops and farm materials. Workers will walk along rows as specified by employer and remove weeds and grass from fields by hand or using a hoe. May operate and perform minor maintenance and repairs on farm vehicles, implements and equipment. May repair fences, greenhouses, farm buildings and other structures, or perform irrigation activities. Perform farm, field and shed sanitation duties. Mow grass and operate trimmer around farm buildings. Direct and monitor the work of casual and seasonal help during planting and harvesting. Operate farm vehicles to haul crops and drive other farmworkers from place to place around the farm properties (including on public roads to reach farmer’s fields) during the workday. May operate light truck or van off the farm and over the road to drive themselves or other farmworkers from place to place, such as to the grocery store, bank, government agencies, medical or dental offices and so forth. May operate truck with less than 13 tons GVWR to transport crops produced on the farm (in its unmanufactured state) to storage or to market or to a carrier for transportation to market. Though not a hiring requirement, if a worker drives a company vehicle during the period of employment then at the time of operating the company vehicle the driver must possess a valid driver’s license issued by a U.S. state or foreign equivalent and operate the company vehicle in accordance with the license restrictions and vehicle classifications applicable to that license.
Strawberries: Workers will help install black plastic and drip irrigation on rows in field being careful to cover all exposed edges of plastic cover with soil and be careful not to tear or punch holes in plastic. This is done under extremely hot conditions. Workers may be asked to utilize implements associated with the installation of the plastic row covers incidental to performing required tasks on the ground. Workers will plant strawberry plants in pre-punched holes on the plastic covered rows being careful to place the strawberry plants at the same depth in the soil as they grew in the nursery. Workers will remove weeds from around the plants and from the row middles. Workers will bend and stoop to pick strawberries according to size, color, shape and degree of maturity and place into field containers. Workers will be expected to pick fully ripe strawberries, discard any cat-faced, deformed, decayed or undersized berries according to supervisor's instructions. Also, workers must carefully remove any undesirable berries from plant that would later cause fungi to attack the plant. Workers may carry full container weighing approximately twenty-five (25) lbs. and empty into field bin or load onto trailer. In some instances workers will be expected to fill a 4-quart/one gallon plastic pail, carefully filling the pail to capacity. (Buckets must be full for correct measure and weight) When full, baskets will be carried 2 or 3 per hand, by the wire handles, nestled to avoid bruising or spillage to end of rows at designated truck-loading place. Then the buckets of berries will be inspected for quality and loaded for transportation to roadside market or coolers. Employees will take turns transporting berries to the coolers, but must transport all fruit at least hourly. Depending on market demand, workers may also be required to pick strawberries in cups and/or flats. Strawberries harvested specifically for sale at a roadside stand as fresh market specialty basket containers must be field graded. For berries harvested for sale at roadside stands, extra care must be used to ensure that each strawberry is undamaged and perfect. All berries must be handled carefully to prevent bruises or fingernail cuts. Pickers will take extreme care not to damage the delicate berries. Quality and workmanship is of the utmost importance.
- Job Classification:
- 45-2092.00 - Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse