Summer Fruit Picking – The Job and Pay

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THE FARM

The farm comprises of 100 ha of apples.

THE WORK

For 2017 the work will be divided into three 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, 13th 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.

“I met some lovely people from all over Europe and some other countries. I loved working in the fresh air, amongst the trees. I also loved driving the tractors.” – Amy (England)

The work is paid on an hourly rate, £7.05* per hr (National Minimum Wage) and £7.50* per hr (National Living Wage for those 25+). 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 2017.

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!

“Thanks a lot for the opportunity to work in Broadwater farm. It was great time, good experience! I met nice people, save money.” Inese (Latvia)

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.

It was hard work and you shouldn’t take it too easy, but at the same time I wouldn’t want to miss a single second of the time I have spent at Broadwater Farm. I really enjoyed working outside and everybody was very friendly ….. everything is doable and it was a great way to meet new people from all over the world.” Annie (Germany)