Farmworkers & Laborers & Ag Equipment Operator

Number of Workers Requested:  3

All applicants must be able, willing and qualified to perform the work described in this job description and must be available for the entire period of employment specified in box 3 & 4, page 1. Hop season starts in early-April and goes through mid-October. Work for hop production will include preparing beds, stringing, training, irrigation management, fertility, pest/weed management, and harvesting. The first few months will consist mainly of repetitive work, which includes setting up our 37-acre trellis for the fields “stringing” (mid-April to mid-May) and training our hops to grow to the top of the trellis (mid-May through mid-June). Setting up the trellis involves securing strings to the top of a trellis (using a lift) and then gathering pairs of strings with a clip and using a tool to stomp them into the ground. Training involves selecting the most productive hop bines and wrapping them by hand around each string. Late June through early August gives us time to catch up on general farm upkeep, including weeding and maintaining the health of the plants through collecting various plant data metrics, fungal/pest surveys, and a proper fertilizer regimen. Since there is less farm activity to do during this part of the season, it is a good time to catch up on light construction and maintenance projects. Harvest season is mid-August through late September and will require longer days to get everything harvested on time and into the freezer. Harvest activities will primarily take place in our on-site processing facility. Bines will be pulled from a pile and fed into picking machines. Waste material is sorted from finished cones. Cones are loaded into dryers in bins using a forklift or other mechanical device. Temperature needs to be monitored throughout the drying process. Hops need to be mechanically stirred and moisture levels need to be taken to determine when they are ready. Dry cones are unloaded by physical and mechanical means. Hop baling involves pushing dried cones into a baling shoot, pressing them into 100–150-pound bales using a baling machine, sewing them shut, recording weight, and moving them to the freezer with the aid of a hand truck. All areas of the processing facility must be swept and cleaned at the end of each harvest day. The last few weeks following harvest allow us to clean up from processing, clean and repair equipment and organize the hop yard for the following spring. Some activities include washing machinery, cleaning and rolling up irrigation lines, and removing bits of string that are left hanging from the trellis. Those that are requested to drive will be required to possess a valid driver’s license, no worker will be rejected for not having a driver’s license. Workers will operate trucks or other multi-purpose vehicles to transport workers from housing (whether on or off farm) to the farm properties; haul tools, supplies, or crops; transport workers from place to place around the farm properties during the workday (including on public roads to reach farmer’s fields); and/or transport workers to the grocery store, bank, or laundry facilities on an as-needed basis. Workers may require to work 8.5 hours shift within the hours of 7:00am – 7:00pm from Monday through Friday. Worker will be given at least 30 minutes for lunch. Beginning and ending times may vary depending on conditions on farm and weather. Workers must have ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds on a frequent basis. Workers should report to work in their own suitable clothing. Employers will furnish to workers at no cost all tools and equipment required to perform all duties assigned. Workers must be able to take direction in simple English