These are full-time, temporary positions that move between multiple work sites located in Kent, Muskegon, Ottawa, Newaygo, Ionia, Mecosta and Montcalm Counties.
Duration of job is 03/24/2015 - 12/20/2015. Must be available to work for the entire period.
Workers will perform a variety of manual/equipment operation tasks. Primary tasks will include apple orchard maintenance, harvesting apples, corn detasseling and corn roguing, depending on the season. Workers must be able to perform all work activities with accuracy and efficiency.
Required: Three (3) months experience in tasks associated with apple orchard maintenance, including but not limited to pruning and thinning.
Licensed housing will be provided without cost to those who cannot reasonably return to their permanent residence at the end of the work day.
All necessary tools, supplies or equipment will be provided by the employer at no cost to the worker.
Workers will perform any of the following duties: orchard maintenance, pulling weeds, picking up stones and roots, removal of reflective tarps that are in the rows, cleaning equipment, removal of strings and wire from trellises, and other hand tasks. Workers may be required to engage in tasks involved in the care for young non-producing fruit trees, such as weeding, tree trunk painting and hand clipping.
Apple orchards: Work activities will also include thinning (manually), pruning by hand using a variety of pruning equiment, tree training, apple hand harvesting and miscellaneous grove clean-up tasks.
Corn detasseling and roguing: Workers will walk down the aisles between the plants in the corn fields for the purpose of detasseling seed corn and removing rogue plants, weeds and volunteer corn plants from seed corn production fields.
Physical requirements:
Exposure to extreme temperatures (may range from below freezing to 105 degrees F)
Lift and carry up to 60 lbs throughout the course of the day
Repetitive movements
Extensive pushing and pulling
Extensive walking
Frequent stooping
Work on feet while in bent positions for extended periods of time
Allergies to ragweed, goldenrod, insect spray, related chemicals, etc. may affect workers’ ability to perform the job. Workers may be required to work during occasional showers not severe enough to stop field operations. Saturday work is required of all workers.
