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Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse

Also called: Greenhouse Worker, Grower, Harvester, Nursery Worker

What they do:

Manually plant, cultivate, and harvest vegetables, fruits, nuts, horticultural specialties, and field crops. Use hand tools, such as shovels, trowels, hoes, tampers, pruning hooks, shears, and knives. Duties may include tilling soil and applying fertilizers; transplanting, weeding, thinning, or pruning crops; applying pesticides; or cleaning, grading, sorting, packing, and loading harvested products. May construct trellises, repair fences and farm buildings, or participate in irrigation activities.

On the job, you would:
  • Record information about crops, such as pesticide use, yields, or costs.
  • Direct and monitor the work of casual and seasonal help during planting and harvesting.
  • Participate in the inspection, grading, sorting, storage, and post-harvest treatment of crops.
On the job, you'll need:

Manufactured or Agricultural Goods

  • food production

Math and Science

  • biology

Basic Skills

  • talking to others

People and Technology Systems

  • figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it

Hand and Finger Use

  • keep your arm or hand steady
  • hold or move items with your hands

Physical Strength

  • use your lower back and stomach
  • lift, push, pull, or carry

Endurance

  • exercise for a long time without getting out of breath

Controlled Movement

  • quickly change the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat

Realistic

People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.

  • Attention to Detail
  • Dependability
  • Cooperation
  • Integrity
  • Adaptability/Flexibility
  • Initiative

Electronic mail software

  • IBM Lotus Notes
  • Microsoft Outlook

Presentation software

  • Microsoft PowerPoint

Data base user interface and query software

  • BCL Landview Systems WinCrop
  • Farm Works Software Trac

Video courtesy of CareerOneStop.

Job Outlook

The job outlook for this position is Below Average.

New job opportunities are less likely in the future.

Median Annual Salary: $33,000

Education

No high school diploma/GED or high school diploma/GED is usually needed.

Explore More

See other careers in the Farming, Forestry, Fishing, & Hunting industry.