Job Description:

• 1) Plants and cultivates fruit bushes and vines and harvests crops, such as grapes, cranberries, and strawberries, applying knowledge of growth characteristics of specific varieties and soil, climate, and market conditions: Determines varieties and quantities of plants to be grown, acreage to be tilled, and employees to be hired.

• 2) Selects and purchases plant stock and farm machines, implements, and supplies.

• 3) Decides when and how to plant, bud, graft, prune, sucker, cultivate and irrigate plants, and harvest crop, based on knowledge of vine-crop culture.

• 4) Attaches farm implements, such as harrow and ditcher, to tractor and drives tractor in fields to till soil.

• 5) Drives and operates farm machinery to spray fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides and haul fruit boxes.

• 6) Hires, assigns duties to, and oversees activities of seasonal workers engaged in tilling and irrigating soil, pruning plants, and harvesting and marketing crop.

• 7) Demonstrates and explains farm work techniques and safety regulations.

• 8) Maintains employee and financial records.

• 9) Makes arrangements with buyers for sale and shipment of crop.

• 10) May make arrangements with AIRPLANE PILOT to spray and dust fertilizers and pesticides on planted acreage.

• 11) May install irrigation system(s) and irrigate fields.

• 12) May set poles, string wires on poles to form trellises, and tie vines and canes to trellis wires.

• 13) May prune vines and canes to size and shape growth.

• 14) May lubricate, adjust, and make minor repairs on farm machinery, implements, and equipment, using oilcan, grease gun, and handtools, such as hammer and wrench.

• 15) May be designated according to crop grown as Blueberry Grower; Cranberry Grower; Grape Grower; Raspberry Grower; Strawberry Grower.