THE FARM
The farm comprises of 80 ha of apples.
THE WORK
For 2020 the work will be divided into two courses. The first course will start in early July concentrating on thinning the apples. The second course will start at the end of August to harvest our main crop of apples and the third course will start mid September to harvest our later variety apples. We ask each picker to stay with us until, at least, 9th October, to ensure that our main harvest is completed, but there will be work available until the end of October for anyone who can stay longer.
The work is paid on an hourly rate of £8.72* per hr (£10.90* per hr overtime). A normal working week would be Monday to Friday, working 8 hours each day and 5 hours on Saturday. You will be paid weekly into a UK bank account (if you do not have an account in the UK, there are other payment options, which we will discuss with you at your farm induction).
* these rates apply from 1st April 2020
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.