Farm Operator – Strawberry Cycle

Number of Workers Requested:  12

The Farm Operator – Strawberry Cycle will manually cultivate and care for a variety of berries. Duties will include pruning, weeding, mixing fertilizer, applying pest control measures, harvesting and packing berries, and cleaning farm areas. Pruning: Hand prune leaves, additional flowers and berries, side buds and offshoot growths. Leaf pruning consists of removing leaves, in-pot offshoot growths and completely harvested flower clusters. Side bud pruning consists of removing side-buds, offshoot growth and removing additional flowers/berries. Operator will be working on a platform (8’x3′) that can be moved vertically up to 14′. Plants will be within one arm’s distance. Removed plant material is discarded into a refuse bag. Operators are trained to hit certain speed minimums for pruning. 100% of the rack must be pruned to completion every week. Harvesting: Ripe strawberries are harvested daily for a 10-month period. Operators will use a pair of special harvest scissors that grips and snips the berry by its stem. Once harvested, an operator may be required to sort the berry by size, mispollination, bruised, and visually low brix (soluble sugar percentage). Operators will transfer berries to packaging room and prepare for shipping. Farm cleaning: Operators will need to carry out basic farm cleaning. This includes sweeping up debris and mopping the floor. The Farm Operator must have the ability to work independently and possess problem solving skills. Must have ability for basic data recording and tracking. Good documentation, inventory, and organizational skills. Must be knowledgeable on basic maintenance of farm equipment. Ability to maintain excellent punctuality and attendance. Must be able to reach with hands and arms, climb or balance; stand, stoop, kneel, or crouch using hands throughout the day. Must be comfortable in an active non sedentary role for lengths of up to 5 to 6 hours at a time. Must not be allergic to bees. Physically capable of frequent ladder use and lifting up to 30 lbs. Overtime available, benefits include Medical HRA, PTO. Must be able to work Saturdays and Sundays as needed. Workers will work 4 days per week for an average of 48 hours. 30 minute unpaid lunch break. Worker will be assigned to 1 of 6 shifts: Shift 1: 5:45am to 6:15pm Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday Shift 2: 5:45pm to 6:15am Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday Shift 3: 5:45am to 6:15pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday Shift 4: 5:45pm to 6:15am Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday Shift 5: 5:45am to 6:15pm Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday Shift 6: 5:45pm to 6:15am Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday