How many days a week do you work?
We work six days a week, Monday through Saturday. A small, select crew does go out on Sundays to do clean up work that is required by the seed corn companies, but most of the crew have Sundays off. We find that this policy of giving workers a day of rest makes it so much more likely that they will receive an attendance bonus of some kind.
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What is detasseling, anyway?
Detasseling is the painstaking process by which we help to create hybrid corn. The farmer will plant rows of two different varieties of corn right next to each other. We remove the tassels at the top of the corn plant off of one of the variety of corns, so that it can't pollinate itself. We don't pull the tassels on the other variety of corn, and it becomes the "pollinator." The pollen from these plants falls onto the silk of the ears of the detasseled corn, thereby completing the crossbreeding process.
Detasseling requires a very high level of quality work in order to ensure that we have pure seed. In order to pass a field, we can only miss about one in four hundred tassels! That's why it a detasseling crew typically will go through the same field three times (on different days) before a field will be passed by the seed corn company. At NATS, we have built a solid reputation for high quality work, and often pass our fields after two pulls. A "pull" is what we call going through the field, and you'll hear us talking about "first pull," "second pull," or "third pull." This simply is referring to whether it's the first time we've been through the field, the second time, or on some occasions, the third.
Nowadays the seed corn companies will "machine" the field before we even get to it. This means that they will cut off the tops of the rows of corn that we are to detassel. Machining the field will remove up to 80% of the tassels. This means that we don't have to pull a tassel off of every plant, but we're constantly walking and watching to see which plants the machine "missed."
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What day does detasseling start?
The detasseling season begins somewhere around July 10, give or take a couple of days. We will only get about a 48 hours' notice from the seed corn companies as to the exact start date, and then we make phone calls to let each crew member know.
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Do you have to carry the tassels with you?
No. You simply pull them off the cornstalk and drop them on the ground.
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How much water should I bring?
We recommend using a gallon container of some sort. You can even freeze milk jugs full of water if you don’t want to buy one. Clearly label your jug with your name in permanent marker. Also, freezing larger “ice cubes” will help your water stay colder longer. You will carry this jug down to the field with you and leave it on the front side of the field. We also recommend taking a smaller water bottle with you up and down the rows to help keep you hydrated. Many detasselers find that camelbacks are extremely helpful. (There are inexpensive versions of these at Wal-mart). We will have plenty of extra drinking water on the bus as well. Pop and other caffeinated drinks can actually dehydrate your body, and we do not recommend drinking these.
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How can I prevent blisters?
Blisters on the feet tend to be one of the common discomforts of detasseling. You can prevent them by following these suggestions.
We recommend wearing very comfortable old tennis shoes, for starters. Don't wear anything too nice, because you'll probably end up throwing them away at the end of the season. Work boots do not fare well in the field, because the fields can be very muddy and then the work boots become very heavy and uncomfortable. Flip flops and sandals are not allowed, because a broken-off corn stalk can cause injury if improper footwear is worn.
Also, many, many of our detasselers duct tape their feet. Basically, by wrapping the foot and heel in duct tape right on the skin (not too tight), you eliminate direct friction to the skin. Also, this helps to keep feet a bit drier and less "soggy," as well as adding some extra support.
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Do you pay for transportation time?
We provide free transportation to and from the fields. If the transportation time exceeds one hour, we will pay for any additional travel time at minimum wage level. Transportation time in-between fields is always paid, and it's always paid at your hourly base wage, plus bonuses. The great thing about NATS is that our buses don't make lots of secondary stops, or even third or fourth or fifth stops! That translates into more paid time in the field for you, and less time riding around on a bus. We don't "sort" our workers every day, either. You're going to be on the same bus getting to know the same people and building community on that bus. (To be perfectly honest, some workers actually go through "withdrawal" at the end of the season--they get so attached to their bus and the people on it!)
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How long does the season last?
Usually the season will last three to four weeks. We work hard to try to rotate the buses around so that each worker will have the opportunity to work roughly the same amount of hours as everyone else.
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How long do we work each day?
Usually we will get in about 6 or 7 hours of field work, but we might work anywhere from four to nine hours. Field work hours do not include transportation time to and from the field, lunch break, or transportation in-between fields.
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How much can I make during the entire season?
Because this is an agricultural business, we cannot guarantee a certain amount of money that you will make during the season. There are many variables to agricultural work! However, we do guarantee, absolutely, a base wage of $7.25 an hour. We also have different bonuses that you can earn, which you'll hear about at our information meetings. For first-year detasselers, we try to give them the opportunity to work 60-80 hours during the season. This ensures that everyone who is willing to work on our crew will get the opportunity to have a paycheck they can be proud of.
As a word of caution, don't be fooled by detasseling companies who promise incredibly large paychecks. I receive many calls each season from disappointed detasselers and parents who were misled. Often these companies have a very small handful of detasselers who receive a decent paycheck, but the vast majority walk away with little to show for their efforts.
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When will I be paid?
We will collect the hours that you worked for a two-week period and then turn those hours over to the payroll company that we use. We usually receive checks within a week after that, and then we mail them out right away. To sum up, you'll receive your first paycheck approximately three weeks after you start detasseling, and then you'll receive a second check about two weeks later. The second check will have any additional field hours worked (if the season goes into a third week), plus any bonus money that you've earned.
It is very important at NATS that you receive your checks in a timely manner, and we work very hard to ensure that this happens. We also have three different people review your hours before we give those hours to the payroll company in order to make sure that we don't miss anything. Detasselers deserve to be paid for every hour that they work, and we take extra steps to ensure that they are!
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What is the per-row pay system that some companies talk about?
There are two main ways that detasseling companies pay their employees, with variations on the theme. One way is the per-row pay system, and the other way is the per-hour system. Each system has its own unique advantages and disadvantages. When I first got into the detasseling business, I was a very big fan of the per-row system. However, the disadvantages quickly began to outweigh the advantages, and I now operate on a per-hour system, plus bonuses.
In order to understand the pay systems, it's helpful to understand how the detasseling process works. It is generally expected that the same field will need to be gone through three different times in order to pass inspection. On the per-row pay system, detasselers are usually paid a high dollar amount the first time they go through the field, but the second time is substantially less, and some companies don't pay anything if you have to go through the field a third time. On the per-hour system, you are paid a guaranteed hourly wage no matter what you're doing.
There are six key disadvantages to the per-row system that I have observed. First of all, detasselers tend to move too quickly through the field and don't do quality work. Secondly, many detasselers tell me they are very frustrated when they are going through a field for the second or third time, and have to do a row that wasn't done very well the first time. In essence, they end up getting second-pull pay for first-pull work. Thirdly, there is a lot of unpaid time on a per-row crew. If it's getting close to the end of the day and you finish your row and there are no rows left for you to do, you often have to go sit on the bus and wait for others to get done, without pay. In addition, if at the end of the day someone doesn't do their row well, you might have to sit on the bus and wait while they redo their row, without pay; and we haven't even talked about the time you spend traveling in-between fields, technically without pay. Fourthly, most of the rows are not the same length. Detasselers who have worked on per-row crews have told me that many of the older teens will muscle their way off the bus to make sure and get the short rows at the ends of the fields. And while a contractor may try to give partial credit for a short row or more credit for a longer row, it's impossible to be fair. Fifthly, there is no incentive to help anyone else on the crew. You aren't paid if you go back to help gather up water jugs, or help someone finish out their row.
But the sixth disadvantage, which is ultimately why I changed to an hourly pay system, is safety. A per-row system requires that adult supervisors must be at the front of the field keeping track of who did what row and how many, or following after the detasselers to spot check and hopefully make sure rows are being done adequately. My preference is that adult supervisors not be distracted with tracking literally thousands of rows. At NATS, the adult supervisors will not ask the teens to do anything we are not prepared to do ourselves. That means we work right alongside the detasselers, staying together, which cuts out I believe 80 to 90% of behavioral problems which so often plague detasseling crews. We aren't hampered with having to track thousands of rows or trying to find out who is cheating on their rows and sending them back through. Since we're right with them, we see immediately if a row is not being done properly and we can take care of it right then and there. We rarely miss any rows on a field, and we don't lose workers, either.
In order to reward exceptional detasselers on a particular bus, we offer a special bonus at the end of the season to those workers. In addition, if you are at least 16 and you've previously earned that bonus, you qualify to be on our special crew, nicknamed The Force. The Force does almost all of the second pull fields for us, and they receive an awesome bonus based upon their ability as a team to get fields to pass on a second pull. And they do a tremendous job at it, too! Last year they passed approximately 1,000 acres on second pull. They also receive bonuses for years of experience, attendance and also by completing the fields in a timely manner. As you can see, the focus is on quality, not in rushing through the field. Per-row companies often go through the same field three times. We've even heard of fields having to be gone through five or more times on the per-row system!
I realize that there is probably no perfect system, but having implemented both a per-row payment system and an hourly payment system, I am wholeheartedly convinced that the per-hour system is the way to go. The detasselers will see an adult at least every 30 minutes, if not sooner, there's lots less down time, and the seed corn companies always give us positive feedback about our quality at the end of the season.
I want to be as straightforward as I can about our payroll system. Integrity matters. Every year I receive comments from detasselers who were on complicated per-row pay systems, were promised they would make incredible amounts of money, and end up deeply disappointed. Per-row crews usually have a small number of detasselers who make a lot, but it's kind of like a pyramid and most of the workers end up at the bottom of the pyramid.
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Can I work next to my friends?
If you are on the same bus, you will sometimes be able to be with your friends. If your friends are on a different bus, the chances that you will be together are very slim. Everyone will be set up in squads of about four detasselers and one squad leader. The bus assistant is in charge of setting up the squads, and you can request, if possible, to be put in a squad with a friend. We do want to avoid "cliques," and it is helpful to get to know others on your bus, so you won't be with your friends all the time. However, you can sit with them on the bus, take lunch breaks together, etc.
On another note, sometimes friends can be a distraction to you being the best worker you can be. We generally don't mind chatting with other crew members as you go down the rows, especially after you've been fully trained and are comfortable with what you're doing. But if squad leaders or the bus assistant feel that you do not work as well with some members of the crew, you will not be put in the same squad.
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Can I get a job reference from you for future jobs?
Yes. Many, many teens have told me that their detasseling experience helped them to gain other jobs, especially if you have detasseled for more than one year. It is always polite to ask an employer if you can put their name down for a job reference.
Also, if you're sixteen or older and think you have to choose between detasseling and a year-round job, you might see if your employer is willing to let you off for a couple of weeks in July. I have many detasselers who are doing this, and in fact, we're seeing more and more of an increase in these types of arrangements. Employers want to keep good workers and are often willing to let you off because they know detasseling pays so well.
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What does it take to be a squad leader?
A squad leader is someone who has at least one year of experience in the field, and is willing to help train other detasselers. The very best squad leaders are those who know how to encourage the people in their squad, as well as making sure that rows are done cleanly.
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How can I become a bus assistant?
A bus assistant must be at least 18 years of age. This individual is generally someone who has worked for NATS several years and has proven themselves to be of the highest character. He or she must have good communication skills. Good bus assistants come from good squad leaders--the squad leaders who know how to encourage and motivate, are selfless, patient and have an eye for details.
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Do you give credit for years worked for another company?
Yes. We do consider one detasseling year to equal at least ten days in the field. Detasselers who come to us from other companies need to be able to prove their work experience if asked by providing a copy of their W-2 or other verification.
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