General Laborers - Tree Farm - Nursery - Greenhouse

Work can be exciting, energizing and uplifting. Cherrylake is one of the region’s leading employers – a multi-million dollar company with a family atmosphere offering great career opportunities where people can engage, have fun, make a contribution and grow. We do this by creating a culture that empowers people to deliver innovative, creative and sustainable products and solutions.  We have the following full-time year round employment opportunities within our Farm Operations division.

Rate of Pay:  Up to $20.00 per hour based on experience

PERKS & BENEFITS
Paid Time Off  - Traditional Benefits Package - Holiday Pay - 401K - Tenureship Bonus - New Hire Bonus

JOB SUMMARIES

SHIFTING LABORER 

Workers will pot (shift) trees, straighten and align holding system to trees, consolidate, tree stand up and dump. Plant trees from the original container to a larger container; setup tree-holding systems. Lift and straighten various size container trees using mechanized equipment. During the shifting process, straighten trees, set into the holding system, fertilize and water tree. Loading and unloading of trees. Installation and replacement of irrigation lines and emitters. 

• Maintain the high quality of shifting according to CL standards.
• Plant 15 gallon trees or larger from original container to a larger size.
• Setup tree-holding systems such as ropes, trellis, rebar and pipes for new trees.
• Lift and straighten various size container trees from 15 gallon to 1400 gallon using mechanized equipment.
• Trees need to be centered and root ball at the correct level.
• Water trees as they are being potted.
• Install and repair sections for planting.
• Fertilizer plays an important part to grow a tree, fertilize according to procedures, not too much, not too little.
• Installation and replacement of irrigation lines and emitters for new plantings or consolidation of plant material.
• Check tractor/Volvo oil, water and fuel before starting machine.  It is the responsibility of the person operating the tractor/Volvo responsibility to make sure that the tractor is in working order.
• Fill water coolers with ice and fresh water every morning.
• Load cull trees onto trailers and move to the dumping area.
• Clean up area after finishing a shift or consolidation.
• Job duties involve standing, walking, bending, crouching, squatting, stooping, or kneel throughout the day. 
• Lifting and or moving products and objects up to 50 lbs

LARGE CONTAINER TREE MAINTENANCE LABORER
Perform manual and/or machine tasks associated with the cultivation and maintenance of container horticulture trees and palms (15+ gallons). Maintenance of tree and palms including pruning, staking, lifting and straightening of trees and maintenance of holding systems. Application of fertilizers and use of earth moving equipment, hand tools and gas powered equipment. Maintaining work area clear of any litter and keeping tools and supplies in good working order.  

• Operate Equipment according to safety guidelines. (ex. Tractors, high reach, elevating platforms, Pruning tractors, reticulating tractors)
• Maintain holding systems (ex. Ropes, trellis, rebar, and pipes)
• Utilize various hand tools and small engine gas powered equipment.
• Work on ladders.
• Lift and straighten large container trees.
• Maintain constant shapes between containers sizes when pruning.
• Sanitize equipment between trees when pruning.
• Stake trees with bamboo, pvc  or metal using proper protocols.
• Use tie tape for staking bamboo to trunk and tying leaders of trees.
• Apply top-dress and sub-dress dibble fertilizer to containers.
• Maintain clean sections free of weeds, leaf litter, suckers and trash.
• Keep all equipment, tools and supplies clean and in good working order.
• Maintain trees to meet Florida #1 standards or better according to Florida grades and standards.

 

HERBICIDE APPLICATOR
Complete daily herbicide spray application to control weeds on premises.  Operate tractor, herbicide boom and/or hand wands to apply post-emergent and pre-emergent herbicides to production areas.  Backpack sprayers, shaker cans, and belly grinders will also be used when appropriate and as needed.  Pulling weeds prior to herbicide application. Wear appropriate PPE at all times. Data entry and use of handheld mobile electronic devices

• Apply herbicide with boom applicator and/or hand wand sprayer.
• Spray sections including, but not limited to, borders, ground cover, middles, along bed edges and outside boundaries of property.
• Follows WPS when handling and mixing chemicals.

QUALIFICATIONS 

• 3+ months of prior experience working in a nursery or tree farm, in cultivation/harvesting and/or installation of commercial plant material, handling both manual and machine tasks associated with commodity production and harvest activities. 

• Bilingual in English/Spanish a plus. 

Physical Demands 

• Work can be repetitive and physically demanding, requiring frequent bending, lifting, and shoveling. 

• Regularly required to stand; walk; bend; crouch; squat; stoop or kneel. 

• Job requires continuous lifting and carrying of objects up to 50 and 75 lbs.

Job Site Conditions 

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, outside weather (heat or cold), and moving mechanical equipment.

REQUIRED LICENSES / HOURS OF WORK 

• Valid Driver's License with clean MVR a plus
• Work week is Monday - Sunday, start and end times vary depending on departmental and organizational needs. May be required to work additional hours during peak times or as needed.

 

NOTICE 

CHERRYLAKE, INC. RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CHANGE THE JOB DESCRIPTION AND/OR REQUIRE ADDITIONAL DUTIES AT ITS DISCRETION.

DFWP, E-Verify & EOE