Orchard Worker

Multiple contract dates available. Alternative start date(s) include: 05/11/2026 (638 workers); 06/11/2026 (44 workers); 08/01/2026 (306 workers). The exact start date and/or number of workers may vary based on weather, crop conditions or other factors. Crops/Commodities: Apples, cherries. Primary duties (performed the majority of workdays): This job requires a minimum of 2 months prior experience working in outdoor harvesting of fruits or vegetables, handling manual tasks associated with fruit production and harvest activities. Applicants must be able to furnish verbal or written statement establishing relevant prior work experience. Workers must be able to perform all work activities with accuracy and efficiency. Primary tasks will be thinning, tree training, summer pruning, harvesting of tree fruit and general orchard work. General Workers will perform any of the following duties: Orchard clean-up or clearing, planting trees, building and/or repairing tree trellises, removal of strings and wire from trellises and other hand tasks, including placement of pheromone lures in the orchard. Care of young non-producing fruit trees, including weeding, hoeing, tree trunk painting, and growth modification by hand or clipping. Training of apple and cherry trees to trellises including clipping and tying limbs and/or shoots to the wire. Must be able to train trees to trellis without constant management supervision. Propping and tying of apple, cherry trees and limbs. Training and limb positioning of apple peach, nectarine, apricot and cherry trees. Installation and repair of bird netting and shade cloth. Workers with appropriate insurable driver's license may be offered tasks including, but not limited to, the operation of motorized power equipment including but not limited to: 4-wheelers, ATVs, tractors, planters, mowers. Workers may use plows, sprayers, cultivators, power shears, chain saws, high lifts, fork lifts, skid loaders. Must operate agricultural equipment safely, with or without direction. Workers who possess a valid WSDA certification and are working under the supervision of an EPA-licensed and trained handler, may apply pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and other crop protectants; mix and apply fertilizers, plant growth chemicals, conditioners, and other plant related treatments at the correct times depending on plant type, growth, climate and crop conditions. Thinning Hand thinning of apple, peach, nectarine, apricot and cherry trees to ensure proper fruit load on the tree. Thinning is a manual process used to control the size and fruit quality of grown fruit. Workers will be given appropriate training by supervisors. The ability to pick up, use and safely handle up to a 10 foot orchard ladder weighing approximately 40 lbs. is necessary for performance of thinning tasks. This process requires the worker to be able to appropriately remove the smallest fruit blossom, bud and/or identifiable fruit from within a cluster of other fruits. Workers will be expected to be able to identify and remove fruit that is abnormal, damaged and/or have other quality problems as directed by supervisors. Pruning Pruning numerous varieties of apple, cherry trees according to established company procedures based on the difference in the treatment of different varieties. Work will be performed on trees for long periods of time using a variety of pruning equipment including hand shears, hand loppers, and hand saws. Pruning may be done from the ground or a ladder up to 10 feet in height or from a motorized platform. Workers pruning apple trees may be required to selectively prune only trees of a certain size as instructed by the crew boss. Careful pruning requires knowledge of what to prune, how much to prune and fruit trees' growth habits. The primary reason for pruning fruit trees is to improve fruit quality and thus increase crop marketability and value.

Salary : $17