Our California farm labor contractor license is pending with the Labor Commissioner. Crews start as soon as it's issued. Plan your season with us now.

Farm labor crews for stone fruit growers

Crews for peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots, and cherries: dormant and summer pruning, hand thinning, and harvest crews with ladders and picking bags.

Stone fruit work we handle

  • Dormant pruning December to FebruaryHand pruning to open the tree and set up next year's fruiting wood.
  • Fruit thinning March to MayHand thinning after bloom so the remaining fruit sizes up.
  • Harvest May to SeptemberPicking by color and size into bags and bins. Cherries and apricots come first, then peaches, nectarines, and plums.
  • Summer pruning June to AugustRemoving water sprouts and opening the canopy after harvest.

The stone fruit season at a glance

When each stone fruit job usually happens, by month
Work Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Dormant pruning Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No Yes
Fruit thinning No No Yes Yes Yes No No No No No No No
Harvest No No No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No
Summer pruning No No No No No Yes Yes Yes No No No No

Typical California timing. Exact dates vary by region, variety, and weather.

What stone fruit growers should know

  • Several picks per blockStone fruit is picked several times as it ripens. Crews learn your color and size standards so each pick takes only fruit that's ready.
  • Gentle handlingSoft fruit bruises easily. Crews are trained to pick and place fruit carefully in bags and bins.
  • Ladders in the heatHarvest runs through the hottest months on orchard ladders. Ladder safety and high-heat procedures are covered in every morning safety talk.

Read our compliance standards

Questions from stone fruit growers

Do you have crews for cherry harvest?

Yes. Cherry harvest is short and intense, usually May into June. Call early so we can have a crew ready when your fruit is.

Can you do fruit thinning?

Yes. Our crews hand-thin peaches, nectarines, plums, and apricots in spring to your spacing so the remaining fruit sizes up.

Where do you supply stone fruit crews?

Anywhere in California. Most stone fruit work is in the San Joaquin Valley and Sacramento Valley, in counties such as Tulare County, Fresno County, Stanislaus County, San Joaquin County, Sutter County, and Yuba County. We're based in Bakersfield; call (661) 677-5733 to check crew availability for your dates.

Counties where we work with stone fruit growers

Other crops we work

Need a stone fruit crew?

Tell us the block, the work, and your dates. We'll call you back to plan it.

Request a crew Call (661) 677-5733