Day in the life
A Day in the Life of a Farmworker
What farmworkers actually do from the start of a shift to the end: the tasks, tools, schedule and realities of the job.
What is a typical day like for a farmworker?
Meet the crew and get assignments. From there, the day usually includes plant seeds and transplants, weed and cultivate crops, and irrigate fields and greenhouses. Work is seasonal, with long days at planting and harvest, and early starts to avoid heat.
Hour by hour: a typical shift
No two days are identical, but this timeline reflects a realistic day for a farmworker working full time.
- Meet the crew and get assignments.
- Harvest strawberries before the heat.
- Take a water and shade break.
- Pack berries into flats.
- Lunch in the shade.
- Weed rows of lettuce.
- Clean tools and record harvest totals.
Where farmworkers work
Farmworkers work outdoors in fields and orchards, or in greenhouses and nurseries, often in heat.
Hours and schedule
Work is seasonal, with long days at planting and harvest, and early starts to avoid heat.
Tasks you’ll do most often
- Plant seeds and transplants
- Weed and cultivate crops
- Irrigate fields and greenhouses
- Prune and train plants
- Harvest crops
- Sort and pack produce
- Maintain tools and equipment
Tools you’ll use every day
- Hand tools such as hoes and pruners
- Harvest bins and containers
- Irrigation equipment
- Greenhouse equipment
- Ladders for orchards
- Packing equipment
The best and hardest parts of the job
What people like
- No experience needed
- Work outdoors
- Seasonal flexibility
- Path to crew leader and equipment roles
What’s hard
- Physically demanding
- Heat and weather exposure
- Seasonal work
- Modest pay
You’ll likely thrive if…
- I like working outdoors
- I don’t mind hard physical work
- I want to start right away
- I like working on a team
- I’m reliable
- I might want to farm someday
Not sure? Take the free Farmworker fit quiz or the Career Match Quiz.
Staying safe on the job
- Drink water and take shade breaks
- Follow pesticide REIs
- Use ladders safely in orchards
- Lift with your legs