Picking in a romantic vineyard or among Greek trees sounds promising. But we want to tell you a bit more about this adventure. Here you will find all the important information you need before you sign up for your trip.
Bij Apcon brengen we pickers en farmers met elkaar in contact. Door bijna 30 zomers lang te plukken bij verschillende boeren in Frankrijk, Griekenland en Spanje, hebben we genoeg connecties en ervaring om jou aan de juiste boer te koppelen.
Alle boeren zijn door ons bezocht en geselecteerd. Zo zorgen wij ervoor dat jij op een fijne plek terecht komt en je alle nodige info op tijd ontvangt. We vertellen over het loon, kost en inwoning, de reis en specifieke informatie over de boeren zelf. Zo kan jij jouw avontuur zorgeloos beginnen.
In France and Italy (grape harvesting) you are paid per working day, regardless of your pace of work. Every year the wages are calculated according to the rates laid down by law. Last year the net wage was about € 57 for an 8-hour working day. This amount will change a little each year. Carriers earn more than pickers, but there is no big difference.
In addition to the salary, you receive board and lodging. On days that you do not work, either due to the weather or illness, you do not receive your wages. At the end of the harvest the wages are paid, either in cash or by cheque. Let the farmer know that you prefer to be paid in cash; this way you avoid the cost of cashing a cheque. If you do receive a cheque, it is advisable to cash it immediately in France/Italy.
In Greece and Spain (olive harvest) you are not paid in wages. Picking olives is a very important tradition in Greece and it is considered an honour to help. The board and lodging is well regulated and free, your help and presence are praised and they throw a good party.
guarantee by apcon
Another important reason for picking through APCON is that we keep track of the harvest on a daily basis. Farmers sometimes only know a week before the harvest on which date they will start. This is due to the weather conditions: the farmers simply cannot give the information earlier. Because there are many farmers working with us, we can shift with pickers when the date of harvest doesn't fit anymore. Don't worry though, the farmers always give indications and they are often correct.
If it is really fully booked or the harvest time does not correspond with the period that you are available, your request will be cancelled. It goes without saying that your payment will be refunded immediately.
If you cancel one month or more before the start of the harvest at your workplace, we will refund 50% of your payment. Cancellations up to two weeks before the start: 25% refund; later cancellations: no refund.
The relationship between the pickers and the farmer (employer) is not our responsibility. An employer has the legal right to send away a picker (employee) if he has a good reason to do so. Apcon is not liable for any damage or lost income.
The farmer is legally obliged to insure you against accidents during working hours. This insurance does not cover damage due to theft, etc. Therefore, travel insurance is recommended.
We will inform you in advance how many days your harvest will approximately take. Work continues at the weekends. You are expected to work the entire harvest period of a farmer. Of course, you can indicate how long you would like to harvest for, and we will assign you to the perfect spot.
It is not necessary to speak the language of the country to understand what to do. Moreover, there is always a colleague who speaks the language, or a local who speaks English.
When it rains, there is usually no work in the grape harvest, because the rain negatively affects the sugar content of the grapes. If it rains for many days in a row, you will have to take the whole team into the fields because the bunches may rot. However, this rarely happens.
Apcon helps you to get the right information and connections. Once at the farmer, it is your own adventure and Apcon is not responsible for your relationship with the farmer and other pickers. Of course all feedback is welcome and with our experience we know how to select the right farmers.
