I worked in a cherry processing plant during the summer, and a few people wanted to know the “experience,” so I decided to write it down.
The shift was 7am to 5pm got paid for 9 because of breaks, which were more like try not to pass out and drink water because if you did that while the line was on everybody suffered, ergo everybody got angry at you.
You would start washing your hands with boiling water and soap, because you're handling food products, and then you would put on these cheap as fuck latex gloves that won't fit on your bare hands doesn't sound too bad right but your doing cardio from hell, by the second day my hands were bleeding all they had was a looted out first aid kit and you had to bandage every single one couldn't use your own though had to be these blue ones you can see on a metal detector, the gloves constantly ripped meaning I had to replace them six times a day. All of this could've been prevented with a glove liner that's about 2 dollars, and it would've lasted the entire season can't buy them as a individual as well.
While working you were always wet, from the cleaning hoses from the cherry juice soaked floor was always wet as well, slipped and landed on my right knee was given a single tablet of ibuprofen went back to work so much pain. while actually working I found myself holding my breath because you had to move so fast about a bucket every 5 seconds for 3 hours, felt suffocating.
You would grow to despise the Forklift operators that nearly crush you everyday only to miss, sometimes you wish they did at least then you could rest. You loathe the foreman with their fake smiles, doing nothing but make you work and add more to your insurmountable pile of it while they retreat to their office doing nothing, in comfort.
The place was deafening, couldn't hear yourself think at times said they'd get us earplugs it took about a week to actually get them, they were also shit plastic hunks that were more likely to cut your ear than actually prevent damage. Couldn't speak to each other, and when on brake everyone was just so tired that you couldn't be bothered.
Cleanup would get you already more soaked than you were already, leather boots filled up. After I clocked out I felt aged; realizing I'd have to do this again tomorrow I wanted to cry but I was in catharsis, until the next shift, so I couldn't.
I wanted to stop everyday, but I couldn't I felt as if I was about to be fed into a meatgrinder yet I continued. I didn't even need the money I was short changed, I do not know why I continued I wish I did.
That was my experience, I am posting this semi incomplete so I don't put it off to the side. I am going to bed