Farmworker - Forestry

This job was posted by https://www.vermontjoblink.com : For more information, please see: https://www.vermontjoblink.com/jobs/1402611 All applicants must be able, willing and qualified to perform the work described in the job order and must be available for the entire period of employment specified in Section A.3 & A.4. This work order is for qualified\ individuals to perform agricultural work in a commercial-scale maple sugaring operation. Workers must be willing and able to work outdoors in cold weather conditions, including temperatures as low as 15F and snow-covered\ terrain up to 3 feet deep. Due to Vermonts seasonal weather conditions and the time-sensitive nature of sap production, employees may be required to work extended hours during certain periods of the season. Workers will\ use precision tree-sap tapping equipment and operate agricultural machinery and equipment, including tractors with loaders and rear-mounted attachments, pickup trucks, chainsaws, and other farm tools. Employees must be\ able to safely operate and maintain all assigned equipment and tools. Workers must report for work with suitable clothing and footwear appropriate for cold, wet, snowy, and rugged outdoor conditions. Duties include, but are\ not limited to, precision drilling of tap holes in maple trees; accurate insertion and setting of spouts; cutting, crimping, connecting, installing, maintaining, repairing, troubleshooting, and removing food-grade flexible PVC tubing\ and piping systems of various diameters up to two inches; monitoring sap flow levels and the integrity of sap collection systems; locating and repairing leaks; evaluating the health and productivity of sugar maple trees for sap\ production; and removing taps at the end of the season. The work is physically demanding and performed in wooded, mountainous, and uneven terrain. Workers will be required to stand, walk, bend, kneel, stoop, crouch,\ climb, and perform repetitive motions for extended periods throughout the workday. Workers must be able to frequently lift, carry, load, and unload items weighing up to 75 pounds. Additional duties include building\ maintenance, general farm labor, and orchard-related activities, including clearing brush; installing, replacing, maintaining, repairing, and removing tubing systems; tapping maple trees; cleaning, servicing, and maintaining\ equipment, facilities, and work areas; and performing other related agricultural duties as assigned. Workers may be asked to operate trucks or other multi-purpose vehicles to transport workers from housing (whether on or off\ farm) to the farm properties; haul tools, supplies, or crops; transport workers from place to place around the farm properties during the workday (including on public roads to reach farmer's fields); and/or transport workers to\ the grocery store, bank, or laundry facilities on an as needed basis. Workers that are requested to drive will be required to possess a valid drivers license; no worker will be rejected for not having a driver's license. Workers\ who do drive will still perform the same field work and other duties as non-driving workers; driving is not a primary duty. Workers are require to work 8-hour shifts within the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday through\ Friday. This schedule totals 40 hours per week. The 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. range reflects the seasonal and weather-dependent nature of maple tapping operations, including variability in sap flow and collection conditions.\ This flexibility ensures workers can complete their required weekly hours while responding to daily production needs. Workers will not be scheduled to work a full 12-hour shift. Workers may offer additional hours beyond the\ standard schedule, subject to the mutual agreement of the workers and management. Workers will be provided with at least a 30-minute lunch break, staggered within the hours of 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., s determined by\ both the workers and management. Workers may choose where to eat their lunch and must return to work after the 30-minute break.