Farm Laborer

The farm work position includes duties associated with the planting, cultivating, harvesting, and packing of strawberries, tobacco, peanuts, ear corn, and sweet corn. In addition to these crops, there are also responsibilities with cattle. This work can require standing, walking, stooping, bending, and lifting up to 75 pounds for long periods of time outdoors in all weather conditions. It also includes making important decisions based on size, coloring, and ripeness according to prescribed standards. This work requires adherence to important food safety and quality standard operating procedures and the ability to work quickly and consistently alongside fellow workers with a positive, professional, team based attitude and a consideration for the safety and health of fellow workers and of the consumers who will purchase and consume the fresh produce grown, harvested, packed, and shipped from the farm. The employer will utilize the following staggered start dates: 4/6 - 2 workers 6/8 - 2 workers Strawberries: Workers will remove weeds from around the plants and from the row middles. Workers will bend and stoop to pick strawberries according to size, color, shape and degree of maturity and place into field containers. Workers will be expected to pick fully ripe strawberries, discard any cat-faced, deformed, decayed or undersized berries according to supervisor's instructions. Also, workers must carefully remove any undesirable berries from plant that would later cause fungi to attack the plant.The undesirable fruit will put placed into five gallon buckets and removed from the field. Workers may carry full container weighing approximately six (6) lbs and empty into field bin or load onto trailer. In some instances workers will be expected to fill a one gallon plastic pail carefully filling the pail to capacity. (Buckets must be full for correct measure and weight.) The pails will be carried in a 2-bucket carrier to be picked in. When full, buckets are carried to end of rows at designated truck-loading place. Then the buckets of berries will be inspected for quality and loaded for transportation to roadside market. Depending on market demand, workers may also be required to pick strawberries in cups, clam shells and/or flats. Strawberries harvested specifically for sale at a roadside stand as fresh market specialty basket containers must be field graded. For berries harvested for sale at roadside stands, extra care must be used to ensure that each strawberry is undamaged and perfect. All berries must be handled carefully to prevent bruises or fingernail cuts. Pickers will take extreme care not to damage the delicate berries. Quality and workmanship is of the utmost importance. Pre-harvest activities for strawberries may include weeding, transplanting and covering with cloth during cold weather. Workers may be required to perform other tasks maintenance activities in the strawberry operation. When harvest is completed, the workers will assist in removing the strawberry plants from the plastic to prepare for planting the next crop. In some instances workers may be required to remove plastic and the drip irrigation tape from the row and load on trucks for removal from field. l.

Salary : $12