- Full Time:
- Yes
- Number of Workers Requested:
- 25
- Job Duties:
- The job duties for the position of vineyard worker with descriptions and the percentage of time allocated to each are as follows:
1. Pruning (12%)- Depending on the pruning method employed at each individual field, following the harvesting of the prior year's grapes, workers will be required to:
a. Cane pruning: Using pruning shears, select 2-4 new fruiting canes per vine, cut back each cane to 15 buds per cane, leaving 20-30 buds per plant, leaving 1-2 buds spurs close to the trunk. Remove all other cane growth. Place pruned wood into bags for disposal.
b. Spur pruning: Using pruning shears, prune along main cane leaving 2-3 buds spurs, 4" to 6" apart and 20-30 buds per plant. Remove all other cane growth from prior year, place pruned wood into bags for disposal.
c. Summer pruning: Before flowering, pinch back shoot tips of vigorous growth using fingernails.
2. Vine Tying (4%)- Gather shoots from trunk base or crown, tie shoots as vertically as possible, cut twine using knife or other cutting tool, select two abutting shoots from vertical group then extend the two shoots along fruiting wire in opposite directions (left and right).
a. Cane pruning: Using twine, firmly, but not tightly, tie each extended shoot to the fruiting wire where the cane begins to extend away from the vertical group (or wrap the shoot one time around the wire) then tie the end of the shoot to the fruiting wire.
b. Spur pruning: Using twine, firmly but not tightly, tie a piece of twine around the permanent cordon near the trunk of the vine, tie a second piece at the midpoint between the trunk and the end of the cordon (alternatively, wrap the cordon one time around the fruiting wire) and tie a third piece around the end of the cordon securing it to the wire. Remove all ties from prior years that have become too tight or are no longer necessary as the cordon becomes sturdy.
3. Wire Positioning (3%)- As new shoots grow from the buds, use a knife or other cutting tool to cut twine in sufficient lengths to secure the shoots vertically to the catch wires above the fruiting/cordon wire. Tie the shoots to the catch wires once for every 12" of growth then trim the shoots just above the top catch wire.
4. Herbicide Application (1%)- Mix chemical herbicides at proper rates as determined and directed supervisor or vineyard manager, pour herbicide into hand or mechanical sprayers and, while wearing protective clothing and herbicide masks, spray herbicide on all vines.
5. Mowing (1%)- Manually mow weeds growing under vines to an area 18" on all sides of each vine trunk. Using riding mowers, tractors or other mowing equipment, mow between the vine rows to within 18" of the vine trunks.
6. Weed eating (1.5%)- Using mechanical weed eaters, cut weeds to ground level between vine rose where riding mowers, tractors or other mowing equipment cannot be used.
7. Suckering (13.5%)- Retaining 3-5 shoots per row foot at even spacing, remove unwanted growth/shoots by hand (short shoots) or using pruning shears (long shoots).
8. Vertical Shoot Positioning (8.5%)- As shoots or spurs appear and grow, gently move the new growth, by hand, to in between each set of catch wires, positioning them vertically, until the majority of the shoots have been positioned between the uppermost catch wires.
9. Irrigation-Labor (7%)- Monitor and control hydration of the various vineyard blocks by turning irrigation systems on or off for each block and adjusting water pressure as needed depending on weather conditions, growing requirements and instructions of supervisor or vineyard manager. Apply mulch under the vines to reduce surface evaporation.
10. Pesticide Application (2%)- Mix chemical pesticides at proper rates as determined and directed supervisor or vineyard manager, pour pesticides into hand and mechanical sprayers and, while wearing protective clothing and herbicide masks, spray pesticides on all vines.
- Job Classification:
- 45-2092.00 - Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse