Nursery Worker

Crops/Commodities: nursery stock, trees. Workers must be able to perform manual as well as mechanized activities with accuracy and efficiency. Workers will perform heavy mechanized field work using power equipment. Take inventory and grade plants, prepare trees and shrubs for digging by tying or wrapping as necessary; dig; wrap burlap or other covering around root balls and securing with twine and/or staples; crimping wire baskets; lift, carry and load nursery stock; and unload, move or load supplies, including wire baskets. Workers must be able to perform all duties with accuracy and efficiency. Manual tasks related to the growing of nursery stock will include some combination of the following: preparing fields for planting by clearing cull stock, brush and debris; planting seedlings or ‘liners' by hand (including riding and inserting liners in a mechanical planter); hand digging, loading, unloading or transplanting bare-root nursery stock; straightening, tying, staking, pruning and shearing trees and shrubs; cutting, pulling or removing and mowing weeds or grass; moving irrigation equipment; spraying herbicides and insecticides and applying fertilizer. While fertilizing workers will be expected to pick up and carry 35 pounds of fertilizer. Accurate visual calibration and proper placement of fertilizer is required. Most field work is performed in crews of from 3 to 6 workers who will be required to maintain the pace of the average crew member. Crew work may consist of hand hoeing around nursery stock. Weeds are to be removed by the root and not at ground level. Tasks related to harvest of nursery stock will include the following: preparing trees and shrubs for digging by tying or wrapping as necessary; digging; wrapping burlap or other covering around root balls and securing with twine and/or staples; crimping wire baskets; lifting, carrying and loading nursery stock; and unloading, moving or loading supplies, including wire baskets. Workers may be required to do any other manual tasks involved in the production and maintenance of tree and shrub nurseries, fields and other production areas. Plants must be handled carefully to ensure that minimal leaves, limbs and roots are not broken during digging, handling, wrapping and/or transplanting processes. Workers must be able to comprehend and follow instructions and communicate effectively to supervisors. Unusual, complex or non-routine activities will be supervised. Workers will be expected to perform their general duties in a timely and proficient manner without close supervision. Workers must obey all safety rules and basic instructions and be able to recognize, understand and comply with safety, pesticide warning/re-entry and other essential postings. Workers will work as part of a tree spade crew comprised of one operator and 2 or more helpers. The helper will remove the tree from the tree spade, tighten the burlap in an acceptable manner, crimp wire basket around the root ball, lace top of ball with sisal twine and crimp basket to tighten twine. The employer expects tree spade crews to harvest between 18 and 40 trees per hour depending on size and variety. Workers with a clean driving record (no major moving violations such as but not limited to Driving While Intoxicated or Reckless Driving) and able to obtain an insurable driver's license may be required to drive company vehicles. Workers with appropriate licenses and a valid doctor's certificate may be asked to drive other workers. Work is to be done in the field for long periods of time. Workers may assist in loading trucks with nursery products up to and including 60 pounds and lifting to a height of 5 feet. Workers should be able to work on their feet in bent positions for long periods of time. Work requires repetitive movements and extensive walking.

Salary : $14