Summer Fruit Picking - The Job and Pay

The farm comprises of 31 ha of Bramley Apples, 38 ha of Gala Apples, 8 ha of Braeburn Apples, 3 ha of Jazz Apples and 14 Ha of Pears.

The work is divided into two courses. The first course will start in early July concentrating on thinning the apples. The second course will start the end of August to harvest the main crop of apples and pears. Both courses will finish at the end of October.

The work is paid on an hourly rate (currently £6.10 per hour and £9.15 per hour overtime).  In a normal working week of 40 hours (8 hours per day, 5 days a week), workers earn about £200, but during the main harvest (August to October) the earning can rise with bonuses and overtime.

The pay is paid weekly into a UK bank account (if you do not have an account in the UK, we can help you set one up when you arrive).

The farm's customers demand the highest quality of produce and so expect the team to be very diligent in their work and to pick to the highest standard of quality.

The work on the farm can be enjoyable and very rewarding.  To benefit from this, however, you will need to put in hard work and listen carefully to all instructions you are given.  Much of the picking you will be doing is physically demanding so do expect a few aches and pains after the first week's work.  These should reduce over time as you become more accustomed to the work and you will get fitter!

THE WEATHER

Please be prepared to work in all weather conditions and make sure you have the relevant clothing to help you do this.  It can be very hot in the summer and then quickly turn cold and rainy.  As you are probably aware the weather in the UK can be unpredictable and this can have detrimental effects on the crop you may be working with.  Weather such as heavy rain, frosts and high winds can damage plants and prevent the fruit from growing as quickly as planned.  This may mean there will be periods of time when the work on the farm may decrease and you will have fewer hours a day on the field.