Orchard Worker (Pruning and Thinning)

You'll pick, prune and look after crops on a berry tunnel farm near Paarl through the season. People who do well here are steady, honest and not scared to ask when something is unclear.

Location: Paarl, Western Cape. Applicants who already live in the area get looked at first. Start date: as soon as possible for the right person.

• Pick fruit or vegetables at the right ripeness and size, gently
• Keep your picking card or tag count for daily pay
• Tie up tomato and pepper plants in tunnels
• Prune and thin fruit trees and vines to the farm's method
• Weed beds by hand or with a hoe

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

• Living on or near the farm
• Pruning experience on vines or fruit trees
• Previous harvest or picking experience

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

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