- Full Time:
- Yes
- Number of Workers Requested:
- 56
- Job Duties:
- 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 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. Must display the ability to move, place, climb and work from orchard ladders up to 16 feet in height, making the necessary adjustments for various procedures while carrying up to 30 pounds.
Harvest Productivity Standards: Workers must maintain a 5% or better bruising rate. The 1st bruising offense will result in a warning. The 2nd will result in being required to sit out for up to 3 days, the 3rd offense will result with the worker being terminated.
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.
Apples: Workers will perform various tasks involved in planting, cultivation (including pruning and thinning) and harvesting fruit according to supervisor’s instructions. Workers will till soil, plant stock, and do pruning activities using a variety of tools. Workers will aid in irrigation duties. Will aid in minor repair of wooden fruit containers. Workers will harvest fruit according to color, size, and degree of maturity as specified by supervisor and place into ¾ bushel baskets taking the extra time, care, and effort not to bruise or scar the fruit.
The following description of job activities applies to apples.
Harvest: Workers will be assigned a row with a partner and is responsible for picking all the proper fruit from that row, or half row. Fruit is selected from the tree according to size and/or color standard set by the picking supervisor. In some instances, fruit harvest will be done from an 8 or 16-foot ladder weighing up to 30 lbs. All workers must be able to lift and carry ladder, as well as work from the top of the ladder. The entire tree must be checked to ensure removal of all fruit meeting-picking requirements. Fruit is placed gently in the picking container until container is full. The full picking container weighing up to 50 lbs. is then gently emptied into a field bin, taking care not to spill or bruise the fruit in the container or in the field bin. Field bin volume may be checked and determined by weight on state certified scales. Workers are required to stay on their assigned row unless directed by a supervisor to change, or to help someone sporadically. Picking units will be kept free of limbs, leaves or mushy fruit. Workers will be required to pick up and return picking ladders to the ladder wagon provided by the grower at the end of each workday or as directed by the grower or designated supervisor.
- Job Classification:
- 45-2092.00 - Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse