Seasonal Fruit Picker (Citrus Harvest)

Outdoor work with your hands on a citrus farm near Cape Town CBD; no experience needed for most posts. If you learn fast and don't mind being shown things twice, you'll settle in within a few weeks.

This post is Cape Town CBD-based, with most of your time spent at a citrus farm. Hours are mostly Monday to Friday, with the odd Saturday in busy months.

• Move irrigation pipes and check drippers for blockages
• Follow the re-entry times after spraying, as the signs show
• Tie up tomato and pepper plants in tunnels
• Plant seedlings in rows at the spacing shown
• Pick fruit or vegetables at the right ripeness and size, gently
• Weed beds by hand or with a hoe
• Clean and store picking bags, ladders and secateurs

• Physically fit for bending, lifting and climbing ladders
• Follows farm hygiene and safety rules
• Careful with fruit, since bruised fruit is rejected
• Able to work outdoors in heat, cold and rain
• Valid ID or work permit
• Willing to start at sunrise

• Living on or near the farm
• Tractor or quad bike experience
• Previous harvest or picking experience

• Chance of a permanent post after good seasons
• Farm transport from nearby towns
• Seasonal accommodation on some farms

• 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.