Field Workers, Ag Equip Operators, Forklift Drivers

This job was posted by https://www.azjobconnection.gov : For more

information, please see: https://www.azjobconnection.gov/jobs/7497634

Field Workers (Dates, Olives, & Citrus) Agricultural Equipment Operators

and Forklift Drivers

Tree Work All tree (Date Palms/Olive Trees, and Citrus Trees) work

requires either working from the ground while standing or walking on

uneven ground, or working from a basket/platform that is raised by a

forklift or reach lift that will be raised off the ground that could be

as high as 55 feet off the ground. Employees will be pruning and hoeing

citrus, date and olive trees, using both hands pruning shears, pruning

loppers and long handled hoes.

Specific to Date Palms - De-thorn job is done by removing thorns from

palms with curved knife while standing on the ground or in a raised

platform, by moving the knife along the edges of the frond removing the

thorns. Pollinating is done by removing the husk of the flower and tying

a string around the strands at the middle of the flower, and possibly

removing a portion of the flower, if necessary, applying date pollen by

hand with a small rubber pollinating tool. Cutting Centers/ Strands/

Thinning is done by removing the center of the bunches with a hand

pruner, and selectively removing dates or cutting strands to length.

Tying for direction is done by choosing the natural direction of the

bunch/fruit arm and bending it without breaking, and then tying it to

support the weight of the fruit arm. The employee will insert metal

rings carefully between the strands of the fruit bunch and then applying

a fruit bag over the bunch while securing the bag to the bunch. Closing

of the bag is done prior to harvest using twine or Velcro on the bag.

All jobs are done under the direction of the foreman and supervisor to

ensure quality of work.

Harvest- All (Date Palms/Olive Trees, and Citrus Trees) harvest requires

either working from the ground while standing or walking on uneven

ground, or working from a basket/platform that is raised by a forklift

or reach lift that will be raised off the ground that could be as high

as 55 feet off the ground. Harvest is done by identifying fruit by

color, and texture and picking accordingly and placing fruit into trays

that are then moved to the field trailers or pallets. Removing is done

by using a knife and cutting the twine and taking off bag. Bags are then

counted/folded and put on pallets for storage. Fruit arms are then cut

off using a knife. All jobs are done under the direction of the foreman

and supervisor to ensure quality of work.

Groundwork Planting Date Palms, Olive Trees, & Citrus Trees is done by

digging a hole with a shovel and placing Date Palms, Olive Trees, &

Citrus that could weigh up to 50 lbs. from a potted container into the

hole and replacing soil. Specific to Date Palms-Cutting Shoots is done

by removing shoots on side of palm trees by placing chisel between shoot

and tree and hammering the chisel to remove the shoot. Shoots are also

removed from the side of the trees by placing a metal bar and prying the

shoot off the tree. Cleaning Date Palms, Olive Trees, & Citrus-Weeding

While working on uneven ground, either dig with a shovel, or use a

crowbar with a hammer, to remove shoots from base of Date Palms, Olive

Trees, & Citrus. Weeding is done with a long-handled hoe, or by hand if

necessary. All jobs are done under the direction of the foreman and

supervisor to ensure quality of the work.

Irrigators: Under the supervision of the Supervisor/Foreperson, performs

general irrigation work of produce fields via drip/sprinkler irrigation;

drip irrigation installation, repair and maintenance; and sprinkler

installation, repair and maintenance. Workers will be responsible for

starting and stopping surface and subsurface irrigation with syphon

tubes as well as monitoring the elevation in head water by opening and

closing irrigation gates. Workers will lso need to assist in starting

and stopping pumps for surface and subsurface drip irrigated fields.

Performs maintenance in and around vegetable fields such as bird

control, weeding with a long handle hoe around irrigation valves,

borders and trash removal. Tractor driving activities for purpose

sprinkler irrigation pipe. Reports break downs and understands and

abides by our safety procedures and performance standards. Can fill out

maintenance and progression sheet Required basic knowledge of driving a

tractor, must pass a tractor safety training and demonstrate ability to

operate tractor in a safe manner.

Agricultural Equipment Operators/Forklift Operator: workers will drive

and operate various farm equipment to perform farm field preparation

such as planting, cultivating, fertilizing, farming, and maintaining

farms. Will attach and adjust farm implements to tractors such as discs,

plows, lasers, rippers, cultivators, listers and planters and will

ensure equipment is operating properly at optimum performances. Workers

must conduct daily maintenance check prior to operate the tractor,

monitor, and drive tractors safely and efficiently over difficult

terrain and must have sufficient knowledge of tractor mechanics to make

simple and minor adjustments and repairs to tractors. Workers will be

required to understand and operate the GPS operating system. Required to

have knowledge of driving a tractor, must pass tractor safety training

and demonstrate ab