Roles within a Harvest Crew

There are 3 main roles on a harvest crew, all of which are just as important to the operation as the other.

When you first arrive at the job, you will spend the first month being trained on equipment, go to safety meetings and undertake your commercial driver's license (CDL). It is during this time that you will be placed into a role depending on where the harvester feels you will be best placed.

While we do try to place you within the desired roles (and most people do get their preferred role), it is important to be multi-skilled and happy to undertake other roles if you are unable to get your preferred role or when required to switch around occasionally.

Harvest in the USA is a very long season and even if you wanted to go on a combine, after several months you may be happy to jump in a truck or run the cart for a few days and swap around to get another outlook on the harvest and get the full picture.

Combine/Chopper Operator

Being a combine or chopper operator will involve day to day servicing of the machine, i.e. blowing down, greasing and adjusting chain and belt tension, reporting other possible bigger issues.

You will be cutting a variety of crops so you will need to be able to set the machine to what your crew boss has asked, and in some instance you will need to be able to set the machine yourself once you have become used to the machine.

You'll need to be happy to road the machine with a 40/45ft header along roads either towing or still on the front of the machine and having some knowledge of GPS is highly useful.

You'll be expected to look after the machine as your own, such as keeping inside cab and windows clean, along with maintenance and general care.

Grain Cart Operator

Being a grain cart operator will involve day to day servicing of the machine, i.e. blowing down, greasing and adjusting chain and belt tension, reporting other possible bigger issues.

Depending on the conditions, you will either be flat out or sitting around waiting on combines to be full or trucks to return to the field.

You will be responsible for accurate records keeping of loads leaving the fields, which will be done either manually or on a PDA/Laptop

You will need to be happy running a 250hp or bigger tractor and a chaser wagon of 30 plus ton that may not have an airbrake system.

You'll be expected to look after the machine as your own, such as keeping inside cab and windows clean, along with maintenance and general care.

Truck Driver

Being a truck driver will involve day to day servicing of the machine, i.e. blowing down, greasing, daily walk around check to CDL test standard.

You'll need to be comfortable driving a truck with both manual and automatic gearbox. Along with pulling 1-2 trailers, i.e. a combine and header, tandem hopper trailer or oversized loads.

You will need a good sense of direction as you will be working in the middle of nowhere and combines will move to new fields while you’re in town at the elevator (grain store). Google Maps and pins will become your best friend to keep track of destinations. You will also be expected to keep accurate driving records.

Depending on the conditions, you will either be flat out or sitting around waiting on the grain cart in the heat of the day.

You'll be expected to look after the machine as your own, such as keeping inside cab and windows clean, along with maintenance and general care.

What To Expect

Roles within a Harvest Crew

Combine/Chopper Operator

Grain Cart Operator

Truck Driver