For more than two decades, Jamaican farm worker Denzel Reid has returned each season to harvest apples at Rulfs Orchard in Peru, New York. His experience reflects the discipline, skill, and reliability that have made Jamaican workers central to the success of farms across the Champlain Valley.

Denzel Reid has spent twenty-two seasons at Rulfs Orchard in Peru, New York. Over time, he has become an expert in the farm’s operations, pruning, picking the right fruits, and easing each apple into the picking pouch with speed and care.

“They’re a very loving set of people here,” Reid said of the surrounding community. “It makes me feel at home.”

Apple harvesting requires more precision than many realise. Each apple must be twisted from the branch cleanly so the stem remains intact, and bruising must be avoided to protect the fruit’s market quality.

Experienced pickers develop an eye for the work. They can scan a tree quickly, identifying the fruits ready for harvest.

Reid is one of 16 Jamaicans employed at Rulfs Orchard during the harvest season. Many of the men return year after year, forming a core team that understands the demands of the farm.

For the growers, that consistency is essential.

“We wouldn’t be able to operate without them,” said Amanda Whisher, co-owner of Rulfs Orchard. “Local labor is basically non-existent at this point.”

Jamaican workers have been part of the orchard’s operations since the 1980s, when the farm began using the H-2A visa programme.

The season stretches across several months. Workers travel from Jamaica to New York each year, living and working on the farm until the harvest is complete.

For many, the time away from family is difficult. Yet the opportunity provides income that supports households back home.

Over time, the workers have also become familiar faces in the town of Peru. Local businesses recognise them, and look forward to their presence each year.

As autumn advances and the long harvest season slowly winds down, workers prepare for the journey back to Jamaica.

For Reid, the work is demanding but meaningful. Each season represents another year of experience, another harvest completed.

For farms across the Champlain Valley, the success of the harvest often rests on the commitment and quiet consistency from their Jamaican workers.