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 walnut growers

Crews for walnut orchards in the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys: dormant pruning, suckering, planting, and fall harvest support.

Walnut work we handle

  • Dormant pruning December to MarchHand pruning, cleanup after mechanical hedging, and training cuts on young trees.
  • Planting and replants January to AprilPlanting, staking, and tree guards for new blocks and replants.
  • Suckering and orchard floor April to JulyRemoving suckers, hand hoeing, and weed control around trunks and irrigation lines.
  • Harvest support September to NovemberSupport for shake, sweep, and pickup harvests, including cleanup and hand work around trees.

The walnut season at a glance

When each walnut job usually happens, by month
Work Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Dormant pruning Yes Yes Yes No No No No No No No No Yes
Planting and replants Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No No No No No No
Suckering and orchard floor No No No Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No No No
Harvest support No No No No No No No No Yes Yes Yes No

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

What walnut growers should know

  • A later harvestWalnut harvest runs into November and can overlap with the first fall rains. Crews need to be ready to move quickly when the weather allows.
  • Working at heightPruning mature walnut trees means working at height. Our foremen set ladder and tool rules before the first cut.
  • Planting windowsBare-root trees go in during winter, and planting crews need to move when trees arrive and the soil is workable.

Read our compliance standards

Questions from walnut growers

Do you prune mature walnut orchards?

Yes. We supply hand-pruning crews for young and mature walnut orchards, and cleanup crews behind mechanical hedging, from December through March.

Can you support our walnut harvest?

Yes. Our crews support shake, sweep, and pickup harvests from September through November with cleanup and hand work around trees.

Where do you supply walnut crews?

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

Need a walnut crew?

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