Orchard Worker (Pruning and Thinning)

Outdoor work with your hands on a deciduous fruit orchard near Mbombela; no experience needed for most posts. It suits someone who likes knowing exactly what a good day's work looks like.

You'll be based at a deciduous fruit orchard in Mbombela. Living nearby, or on a taxi route to it, really helps.

• Fill crates or bins and carry them to the collection point
• Follow the re-entry times after spraying, as the signs show
• Plant seedlings in rows at the spacing shown
• Clean and store picking bags, ladders and secateurs
• Prune and thin fruit trees and vines to the farm's method
• Wash hands and use the field toilets for food safety

• Available for the full harvest season
• Physically fit for bending, lifting and climbing ladders
• Able to work outdoors in heat, cold and rain
• Follows farm hygiene and safety rules
• Careful with fruit, since bruised fruit is rejected

• Tractor or quad bike experience
• Previous harvest or picking experience

• Seasonal accommodation on some farms
• Piece-rate bonus on top of daily wage
• Farm transport from nearby towns
• Chance of a permanent post after good seasons

• Have your bank details ready. Most farms pay into a bank account and will not start you without it.
• Farms hire before the season starts, so apply four to six weeks early. Late arrivals often find the teams already full.