Farmworker Fruit

Number of Workers Requested:  13

Crops/Commodities: Apples, grapes, peaches, vegetables, cattle. This job requires a minimum of three months of prior experience working in tree fruit performing manual tasks associated with tree fruits, and showing proficiency with orchard ladder use. Workers must be able to perform all assigned tasks with accuracy and efficiency. Use/handle ladders up to 18 ft. in length and weighing up to 50 lbs., and tripods (10, 12 and 14 feet in height) are used. All Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Primus Rules must be followed. These rules will be presented and reviewed by the manager before harvest begins. Hand Thinning Apples: During the process of hand thinning apples, proficient use of a ladder is needed. Small developing apples to be selectively culled from the tree on a crop load basis. Suckering Apple Trees: Workers will also perform tasks such as suckering apple trees by cutting upright apple shoots inside the tree with loppers to open up the canopy to light interception. Apple Harvest: Quality is essential. Fruit is spot picked for fresh market early in the season and strip picked thereafter, with additional intermittent spot picking later in the season as needed. Care must be taken when picking fruit not to damage or bruise fruit. Properly filled fruit buckets weigh up to 40 lbs. Pickers are required to snap fruit off of tree using their thumb and palm of hand to avoid bruising. Each piece of fruit must be carefully placed in bucket to avoid bruising. May participate in the inspection, grading, or sorting of harvested fruit while still in field. Foreman or owner will give demonstrations of how the fruit must be picked; picking and field packing requirements will be explained to all workers prior to the season’s start. Workers must obey all safety rules when working around, applying or handling pesticides. All tasks may be done from the ground or on a ladder. Grape Harvest: Performs harvesting of grapes with clippers or shears under supervision in vineyard. Do not cut vines when harvesting grapes, only cut fruit. Do not overfill harvest lugs. Must be level full and no more to prevent dropping fruit and damaging lugs. Vegetable Harvest: Pick, cut, lift, or pull crops. Tie vegetables in bunches. Grade, size and field pack product. Take care to prevent damaging produce and plants. Peach Harvest: Spot and/or strip pick fruit based on seasonal need. Snap fruit off tree with thumb and palm of hand to avoid stem pulls, punctures, bruising, or other damage. Pick culls and peelers. Fill fruit buckets and place fruit in bins. Follow supervisor/foreman’s instructions on color/size requirements. Must be able to differentiate between colors and fruit varieties accurately. Apple and Peach Prunning: Pruning: Hand pruning based on fruit variety. Use manual and mechanized pruning tools and equipment. Identify and remove stubs or broken branches, downward-growing branches, branches rubbing against each other, shaded interior branches, dead wood and shoots-suckers. Livestock Care: Examines animals for diseases and injuries. Assist with livestock vaccination. Apply routine medications. Tend to cuts and bruises. Spray livestock with insecticide. Assist with livestock castration. Clips, brand, or tag animals. Perform general herd care. Will maintain and repair fences as needed. Tree and Vine Nursery Work will include budding, training and care of nursery trees and vines Do not leave fruit on trees or vines. No apples are to be left in tops of trees. 100% of fruit is to be harvested as directed. Work will also include removing leaves from grape canopy by hand to promote light interception. Work will also include tucking or pulling down grape shoots under wire to open up the canopy for light interception.Work will include weed control, limb spreading on fruit trees, maintaining trellises and tree supports, maintaining and training grape vines to trellis, checking irrigation lines.