Farmworker/Laborer

H2ajobs; Bloomingdale (MI); On-site; USD 17,000 - 25,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Housing

Meals provided

Transportation

Job summary

H2ajobs in Michigan is seeking Farm Laborers for field prep, planting, pruning, harvesting apples and Christmas trees, and general orchard work. You will operate tractors and farm equipment, maintain irrigation systems, and assist with harvest logistics and pruning as directed.

Paid hourly with occasional piece-rate incentives; season-long availability is expected. Housing, meals, and transportation are provided by the employer on a rotating basis, with housing including kitchen facilities and

Qualifications

• 2 months verifiable experience in commercial tree fruit hand harvest or commercial vegetable hand harvest.
• Applicants must furnish job references from the last 5 years establishing acceptable prior experience.
• Experience with field maintenance and harvest tasks is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Field preparation and planting tasks as directed.
• Blueberry field prep, maintenance, pruning and training of fruit trees.
• Harvest apples and Christmas trees to quality standards.
• Operate tractors and other agricultural equipment on farm premises.
• Repair and maintain irrigation systems and general farm tools.
• Season-long duties including field cleanup and end-of-season tasks.

Skills

Harvesting

Farm labor

Tractor operation

Irrigation maintenance

Weed control

Tree pruning

Tools

Tractor operation

Forklift operation

Irrigation systems

Job description

Worker will be required to complete the following activities: field preparation and field planting; blueberry new field prep and maintenance tasks; lay plastic mulch; blossom removal from fruit trees; pruning and training fruit trees; general care for fruit trees during growing process such as recognizing blighted branches, trunk painting, placing soap bars on young trees and hand fertilizing; hoe or pull weeds; repair and maintain irrigation systems; drive and operate tractors or other agricultural equipment such as forklifts on farm premises only; drive vehicles to haul crops, supplies, tools, or farmworkers; routine general repairs and maintenance of farm equipment and tools on farm; complete harvest preparation tasks such as place bins in orchard; hand harvest to quality standards of apples; complete tasks in Christmas tree nursery such as planting, transplanting, harvesting, and burlap nursery stock according to supervisor instructions; complete Christmas tree nursery hand tasks including field maintenance, Evergreen maintenance, tagging, removing cones, bough material, and potting; harvest and bale Christmas trees; use spray guns to add colorant to Christmas trees; sort Christmas trees by size and grade; haul Christmas trees to staging and shipping areas on farm; conduct various field and farm clean up tasks such as pulling stumps, picking up rocks and raking leaves; build and repair trellis; complete tasks at end of season such as remove from the field/orchard plastic mulch, drip tape and stakes. Pay will be hourly and some piece-rate incentives available for specific tasks.

Other duties assigned under this order will be consistent under Bureau of Labor Statistics Standard Occupational Classification: Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery and Greenhouse Workers (45-2092).

Benefits

• Housing: Employer-provided (including mobile or range)
• Meals: Employer-provided housing includes free and convenient kitchen facilities with appropriate equipment, appliances, cooking accessories, and dishwashing facilities for meal preparation. Worker purchases food and prepares meals. Employer offers no cost transportation to worker at least once a week to stores for food and other items.
• Transport: Employer will arrange inbound transportation via charter of 48-50 seat bus, 10-20 seat passenger van, or commercial airplane as needed. Worker may select means of transportation to place of employment, however, reimbursement is limited to lesser of per worker cost of Employer provided transportation or most economical and reasonable common carrier transportation cost.

(Inbound/Outbound info continued in Addendum C)

Experience wanted: 2 months

Job requires worker to complete tasks in general farm labor, orchard and field maintenance and hand harvest of apples and Christmas trees; blueberry new field prep and maintenance. Employer will provide instructions and training on specific job duties.

Experience Requirement: 2 month(s) verifiable experience in commercial tree fruit hand harvest or commercial vegetable hand harvest required. Applicants must furnish job references from employers of the last 5 years establishing acceptable prior experience.

Tasks must be completed with a good-faith effort.

Drug testing done at Employer's expense not utilized as a preemployment tool.

Season Commitment: Job offered requires worker be available for and worker agrees to work every day that work is available for entire employment period.