Company description

Our mission is to honor our family farm legacy, engage our community, empower our local economy and tread lightly.

Peter Fraleigh purchased this land in 1798 and formally established and named Rose Hill Farm in 1812. Six generations proceeded him and in 2001, the New York State Agricultural Society honored Rose Hill Farm and then owners Dave and Karen Fraleigh, as the only fruit orchard among ten Bicentennial Family Farms.

Two decades ago, Dave and Karen Fraleigh listened to their customers’ requests to pick their own apples and recognized their yearning to reconnect with the land. They subsequently transitioned the farm from a wholesale apple orchard to a Pick Your Own model and expanded the crops to include cherries, blueberries, peaches, raspberries, apples, pumpkins and winter squash.

In 2015, Bruce and Holly Brittain and Chris Belardi purchased Rose Hill Farm. Our shared vision is to grow the family friendly Pick Your Own orchard, be effective stewards of the land, utilize holistic growing practices to improve the health of our crops and our land, and preserve the natural beauty of the Hudson Valley.

In January 2020, the team launched a winery brand (including a range of wine, cider and co-fermented fruit wine) and opened the Taproom at Rose Hill Farm in August of the same year.

We value transparency and seek to educate our customers about what we do and how we do it. We employ environmentally sound, humane and sustainable farming practices. We are committed to preserving the environment through the use of renewable energy, water conservation and responsible farming practices. We hope to become a place where our patrons can learn and enjoy and connect with the land and each other. We look forward to sharing our farm with you!

Job description

We are a small, tight-knit crew who are passionate about wholistic land stewardship, sustainable practices, hard work, social justice, and building community. Every employee is a valued and respected member of the team, and every effort is made to allow your individual strengths to shine.

We select premium quality whole fruit and facilitate native yeast fermentations without additives. We strive for zero waste and utilize our apples, plums, peaches, cherries, blueberries, and apricots for fermentation.

Our low intervention approach in the cellar allows the fruits to truly express not only themselves but our Hudson Valley terroir. We don’t add harsh chemicals like malic/tartaric acids or fining agents—and we don’t use the industrially common processes of filtering, pasteurizing, back-sweetening, or force carbonating.

Grinding, foot-stomping, pressing and bottling is all done by hand on a small scale with care and attention to detail.

Compensation and Benefits

• $70,000-$75,000/year DOE
• Health Insurance: Covered 50% by company
• 401k after 1 year
• 10 days/year PTO for first 3 years, 15 days/year after
• Paid Sick Time

Purpose

• Support the head cidermaker + winemaker in shepherding grapes, apples, and other fruits from raw material to bottle.

Job Requirements

• Full time year round
  • Extended, irregular harvest hours expected
• Vacation Blackout September-October
• Must be able to lift 40lbs
• Must be able to stand on your feet for long stretches of time
• 2-3 years of cellar and/or harvest experience preferred
• Sensory acuity for taste, smell, and visual analysis
• Forklift and tractor experience is an advantage
• Self-starter who prizes cleanliness, organization, teamwork, and respectful communication

Key Responsibilities

• Harvest and Fruit Handling
  • Supervise fruit sorting as necessary
  • Operate press, destemmer, pump
  • Drive flatbed truck to pick up fruit during harvest
• Fermentation and Cellar Work
  • Conduct daily punchdowns and pumpovers as required
  • Occasional foot treading
  • Observe spontaneous fermentation through taste, aroma, and visual cues
  • Alert Head Cidermaker + Winemaker of any off-notes
  • Conduct daily measurements of specific gravity through fermentation
  • Riddling
  • Hygienic maintenance of the cellar and drains
• Vessel and Barrel Care
  • Clean and sanitize tanks and barrels
  • Carry out topping and racking
  • Clean and sanitize pump and hoses
• Bottling and Packaging
  • Prep and rack products for bottling
  • Clean and sanitize the bottling line, corker, and capper
  • Labeling
  • Disgorging
  • Preparing and packing large orders for distribution
• Records and Hospitality
  • Keep concise logbooks of fermentations and sensory observations
  • Pour at fairs and events as required

Compensation

this position is: salaried, $60,406 - $75,000

Application instructions

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Deadline

February 28, 2026