Skip to main contentSkip to select language
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Orchard Worker

Van De Walle Fruit Farm, LLC

Alton, NY

$18.83 per hour

ACTIVE

Recruitment Information

Telephone Number to Apply:
+13155735712
Email address to Apply:
vandewallefruitfarm@gmail.com

Job Description

Full Time:
Yes
Number of Workers Requested:
100
Job Duties:
Workers must be able to perform manual as well as mechanized activities with accuracy and efficiency. Workers will manually plant root stock, cultivate, and harvest apples. Use hand tools, including but not limited to shovels, trowels, hoes, tampers, pruning hooks, shears, and knives. Duties include tilling soil and applying fertilizers, transplanting, weeding, thinning, or pruning crops; applying pesticides or herbicides; cleaning and loading harvested products. There are no packing duties involved. Construct trellises, repair fences and farm buildings, or participate in irrigation activities. Repair and maintain farm vehicles, implements, and mechanical equipment. Clear and maintain irrigation ditches. Record information about crops, such as pesticide use, yields, or costs. Supervisor(s) will provide instructions and directions to workers. Workers must be able to comprehend and follow instructions and communicate effectively with supervisors. Unusual, complex, or non-routine activities will be supervised. Workers are expected to perform basic duties in a timely and proficient manner without close supervision. Workers must obey all safety rules and basic instructions and be able to recognize, understand, and comply with safety, pesticide warning/re-entry, and other essential postings. Pruning: Prune trees seasonally to promote optimum growth of tree and fruit. Gather pruned branches from the area for disposal. Perform summer pruning and suckering by cutting terminal growth and water sprouts from inside the tree using a hand pruner. Thin trees from the orchard to eliminate diseased or nonproductive trees using a chainsaw. Picking: Pick apples for fresh market and/or processing. Worker places ladder firmly against or within tree in a secure position so as not to break limbs or knock off fruit and to prevent slipping or falling. All fruit must be handled with care to avoid causing bruising. Apples injured by bruising during picking shall not exceed 0% (WNY) for fresh and 1% (WNY) for processing. Each worker's picked fruit will be inspected according to instructions given each day by the orchard foreman. Workers will be directed to strip all fruit from the tree at one picking or to spot pick (selective picking) according to size and color, depending on crop conditions and state of maturity. Fruit picked as drops is never mixed with tree fruit. Productivity must be at least 4 bins (80 bushels) of fresh market apples and/or 6 bins (120 bushels) of processing fruit per day. Workers failing to produce a sufficient number of piece rate units to earn the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) for all hours worked during a pay period will be paid on an hourly basis at the AEWR for that pay period. Disciplinary Policy: Workers will be disciplined through our Progressive Disciplinary Policy as outlined below: Step 1: Documented Verbal Warning and Counseling/Training Step 2: Written Warning Step 3: Final Written Warning and Possible Suspension Step 4: Recommendation for Termination of Employment To provide a safe and healthy crop, workers will be trained in USDA Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certification standards. Failure to abide by GAP standards will be grounds for dismissal. Workers are required to follow common sanitary practices at all times, particularly when hand-harvesting crops for human consumption. Workers must wash hands thoroughly with soap and water after using the bathroom and before entering fields for harvest activities.
Job Classification:
45-2091.00 - Agricultural Equipment Operators

The job/industry classification and description includes general information on the position from ONET/OES and the North American Industry Classification System. Please review Job Duties and Job Order for more information.

Job Requirements

Experience Required:
Yes
Months of Experience Required:
3
Special Requirements:
This job requires a minimum of 3 months of prior experience working in tree fruit orchards, handling both manual and machine tasks associated with commodity production and harvest activities. Workers must be able to perform manual as well as mechanized activities with accuracy and efficiency. Employer-paid post-hire upon suspicion and post-accident drug testing required. Any employee who declines to take or fails a drug test will be immediately terminated.
Number of Hours Per Week:
45
Work Schedule (Start/End time):
7:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M.

Employer Information

Company Name:
Van De Walle Fruit Farm, LLC
Location:
Alton, NY 14413

Worksite

Address:
7389 Sodus Center Rd, Alton, NY 14551

Job Order Details

ETA Case Number:
H-300-25107-874911
Multiple Worksites:
No
Additional Wage Information:
See Addendum A
Date Posted:
5/1/2025
Piece Rate Offer
$0.00

Share