Working and Learning Opportunities


THE YOUNG AGRARIANS
APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM

Applications are currently closed.

Interested in an apprenticeship opportunity on our farm?

We are so pleased to have been selected as a host farm for the Young Agrarians Farm Internship Program! We have welcomed apprentices to our from since 2021 to live and work with us on our farm from the end of April to end of October.

Interested applicants should look over the application package, and if they have any questions, can contact us by email.

Colin and Katie have both benefited from experiences as interns on farms in their journey to becoming first generation farmers. You can find out more about the opportunity by clicking the button below.

From Young Agrarians:

“Are you an aspiring farmer looking to gain skills and knowledge that match the ecological and regenerative values you hold? Are you feeling the farming bug, but not quite ready to take the plunge and launch your own business?  Young Agrarians and our network of exceptional mentor farmers are offering advanced, hands-on farm apprenticeships in regenerative agriculture. Participants with a serious interest, curiosity and commitment to full-time farming are invited to apply.

Our apprenticeships are a full immersion program that puts you into the heart of running a farm business, day in and day out. Our carefully selected family of farm mentors have diverse expertise and skill sets –  their farm philosophy is guided by a holistic framework that recognizes the connectedness of the land and people. Although farm activities will be different on each farm, the core activities will involve care of soil, pasture and livestock, farm direct marketing, and using sustainable practices for cereal, grain, and vegetable production.”

Apprentices from 2021 and 2022.

 
  • 1. Katie, Colin, and Reuben are some of the most welcoming and inclusive folks around. I felt like I joined the family from the moment I walked through the door.

    2. I had a very holistic and immersive apprenticeship where I experienced every aspect of the farm from day-to-day animal care, to direct marketing, to conversations about finances and farm planning, to witnessing births and deaths, to carpentry projects, to gardening, to monitoring pasture health, to soap making and so much more! Learning was around every corner.

    3. There were amazing milkshakes 5 minutes away at Clearwater Junction Restaurant

    4. The place is beautiful. The farm is located on the edge of a valley with plenty of places to explore. The stars are stunning.

    5. Baby lambs are very cute

    6. Katie and Colin were present, attentive, and supportive. They were invested in my learning and in learning alongside me.

    7. The food! We prepared and ate delicious food that came right from the farm. I loved it.

    8. In the evenings, the heat would break and the sun would set and I would stand in the garden in bare feet and feel so alive.

  • 1. Katie, Colin and Reuben are extremely warm, welcoming, and friendly. As their apprentice, they welcome you into their home as a member of their family and treat you that way for the time that you are there and even afterwards.

    2. The farm is beautiful with lots of areas to explore. Being in the middle of nowhere can be incredibly peaceful.

    3. Katie and Colin are constantly working to improve themselves as mentors, and in ensuring that you have the best apprenticeship experience possible. They are invested in your apprenticeship experience and in sharing their knowledge and the farm they have built.

    4. You get exposed to the community that Katie and Colin have built for themselves, both farming and otherwise. You also get to learn how important community is in creating a sustainable farming experience.

    5. As someone that would be becoming a first generation farmer, it was very important to me to learn from other first generation farmers and their experiences. Katie and Colin are very willing to share the struggles and triumphs they have experienced while starting their farm, what they would have done differently, and what they have learned to do well.

    6. You will get to participate in the cycle of life and death inherent in livestock farming. You will see animals be born, treat them while they are sick, monitor their wellbeing and ensure they are

    able to thrive, and then see them off as they go to feed a family. It is a very humbling and rewarding experience.

    7. You will learn new styles of cooking, and how to eat seasonally based on foods you are able to grow at different times of year. Also the food is very, very good (good luck eating grocery store eggs ever again).

    8. Beyond the skills specific to livestock farming, Katie and Colin will help you to learn any other skills you are interested in. I learned about marketing, farm financial planning, soap-making, gardening, canning and food preservation, and basic construction skills. You get to learn something new every day. Katie and Colin also put up with my endless questions, so kudos to them!

    9. Katie and Colin model a good work-life balance when it comes to farming. There is enough work to be done on the farm at any given time that it would be easy to be putting in 14 hours days every day of the summer. Instead, they prioritize rest, recovery, and family, and ask that you do the same.

    10. Even after the apprenticeship ends, Katie and Colin still stay connected. They consider you as a permanent member of their farm, and look forward to hearing about your future farming adventures and sharing what is new on their farm.


FARM TOURS AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

Interested in visiting the farm?

We are open to pre-arranged farm tours and educational opportunities with organizations and institutions.

We have welcomed groups including Farmhands on Bikes, The Harvest Moon Society Youth Group, The Boys and Girls Club, The Swan Lake First Nation Climate Change Group and the University of Manitoba faculty of Architecture for single and multi-day learning and working opportunities on the farm.

Contact us by e-mail to inquire.

*Please note, we reserve to right to charge for our time.