Field Workers (Wine Grapes)

Field Workers (Wine Grapes) at Mendoza Bros. Harvesting in Forestville, CA.

Job Duties - Description of the specific services or labor to be performed:

Please note that the Employer will require a total of fifty-two (52) H-2A workers under this contract. Of these, twenty-six (26) H-2A workers will commence employment approximately on January 4, 2027, and the remaining twenty-six (26) H-2A workers will commence employment approximately on February 2, 2027. The number of workers and dates of staggered entry may change lightly due to weather, consulate availability, and domestic worker availability.

Field Worker (Wine Grapes):

Duties vary depending on the growing season:

Work in grape vineyards during growing season (January 2027 through March 2027) will include hoeing (long handled hoe) and pruning and various vineyard activities.

Work in grape vineyards during growing season (approximately mid-April 2027 through May 2027) will include weed removal and vine suckering and various vineyard activities.

Workers will occasionally perform vineyard weeding using shovels over 4 ft in length. The employer will provide training, gloves, and knee pads in prevention of work-related injuries at no cost to workers if required. Work in grape vineyards during growing season (approximately June 2027 through July 2027) will include leaf removal and various vineyard activities. Employer abides by the California rules applicable to hand weeding.

Work in grape vineyards on non-harvest activities (approximately August 2027 through mid-September 2027) will include early season crop removal, move wires, picking, root picking, irrigation, field maintenance, canopy management, shoveling, stake removal and replacement and various vineyard activities.

Work in grape vineyards during harvest season (approximately mid-September 2027 through October 2027) will include picking wine grapes and activities directly related to wine grape picking and various vineyard activities.

Non-harvest related activities continue during harvest time of the year but are not directly related to wine grape picking and include fence repair, trellis repair, post removal and replacement, drainage, field gutters, plant new vineyard including digging, raking, clean up and post pounding and various vineyard activities.

Harvest activities include using sharp picking knives, standing, and kneeling on ground to pick fruit, and sorting grapes

Tractor Driver: Tractor drivers will drive and control tractors in fields. Tractors have a capacity of under 26,001 pounds Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW). Commercial drivers' license is not required to drive tractors.

Cellar Job Duties: (Cellar is located in the vineyard)

Responsibilities will include Sorting grapes, Wash bins, equipment sanitation and cleanup. Tank pump overs, barrel work, wine racking and stacking boxes, gassing empty barrels by using sulfur dioxide gas to protect wooden wine barrels from mold and bacteria, a full respirator mask is used for this process. (Less than 50% of workdays in contract)

Additional Vineyard Work duties throughout the season (Less than 50% of workdays in contract), fungicide application with backpack and/or tractor sprayer; Spray fertilizer or pesticide solutions to control insects, fungus and weed growth, and diseases, using hand sprayers. and herbicide application with hand sprayer. Apply chemical solutions to plants to protect against disease or insects or to enhance growth.

Work begins January 4, 2027 and ends October 31, 2027.

Pay is $18.6 per hour.

Housing is provided.

Typical schedule: about 40 hours per week.