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Are you an aspiring ecological farmer who wants hands on experience working on a fibre farm with sheep and wool? Ferme Fiola Farm and Long Way Homestead in Ste-Geneviève, Manitoba might be the place for you!
About the Farms
2 Family owned and operated fibre farms located in Ste-Geneviève, MB. The 2 farms are just down the road from each other, not even a mile apart and work on projects together. Both farms raise sheep mainly for wool production as well as Ferme Fiola sells sheep meat and hay.
“We acknowledge the land on which they operate is the Treaty Territories and ancestral lands of the Anishinaabeg, Anishinabek, Inninewak, Anisininew, Dakota, Lakota, and Dene peoples and the homeland of the Metis Nation. Farming has historically been and continue to be used as a tool of colonization. Agriculture has played a key role in dispossessing Indigenous people form their homelands. As we look forward to the future of fibre and sheep farming, it must include a commitment to reconciliation and land reparation.” – Long Way Homestead
Both farms raise sheep for wool. Long Way Homestead has a wool mill where they process raw wool into yarn for customers. Ferme Fiola Farm also does hay production, sell sheep meet, tans sheep hides, and has an industrial felting machine which produces felted wool products. Both farms sell yarn direct from their farms. They sell their products online and at several different markets throughout the year.
Lots of cool reading on their websites and socials:
https://www.fermefiolafarm.ca/
https://www.longwayhomestead.com/
Workplace Culture
Work on the farm is variable and changes with weather or specific events daily. Typically, a normal day would be expected to work 8:30am – 4:30pm with breaks and lunch (usually do 45min family lunch). Sometimes weekdays would be replaced for need to work on a weekend for a farm tour or market event. Sometimes there are evening tasks needed.
Hours and compensation will be discussed and written into the employment contract.
The farms strive to operate with a culture rooted in communication, collaboration and knowledge sharing. They believe that clear communication is the foundation of good work—whether tending animals, maintaining equipment, or working in the gardens/mills. Team members are expected to share information openly, ask questions, and make sure everyone has the knowledge they need to succeed.
Curiosity is encouraged here. They value people who want to understand how things work, who notice the small details, and who seek out opportunities to learn and improve. Knowledge sharing—whether it’s teaching a new skill, offering context on a task, or sharing experiences from own lives – is a value on the farms.
They appreciate hard work and initiative. When a job needs doing, the leaders look for team members who identify the need and step in. This doesn’t mean working without boundaries; it means taking ownership, being proactive, and supporting each other so the entire farm can function smoothly and being flexible to pick up the slack when necessary.
Anna, Christel and Joey love mentoring, teaching and sharing what they have learned, and they also love when someone comes with specific goals and questions.
The whole team can mentor in a range of skills, such as:
- Regenerative Land Management
- Wool production and marketing
- Meat production and Marketing
- Mechanical maintenance and fixing of equipment
- Growing and harvesting hay
- Sheep husbandry
- Raising sheep specifically for wool production
- Growing and using dye plants and likely more…
For extra specific mentorship wants or asks, hours could be booked and planned on days off and could be exchanged for work hours.
An apprentice will get the most out of this experience if they come prepared to ask questions, be curious and have goals around what they want to accomplish. The team is more than happy to share everything from big blue sky ideas and thinking, to practical skills and farming knowledge.
About the Farmers
Christel Lanthier always wanted sheep and now it’s a reality! When she was growing up she loved to be outside and continues to today. She took textile design classes in dyeing and weaving, as well as sculpture and photography at Alberta College of Art and Design. Her and Joey started farming together in 2012.
Anna Hunter started knitting in 1999 and hasn’t stopped. She opened Baaad Anna’s Yarn Store in East Vancouver in 2009 which as a great community hub. After 5.5years Anna and Luke moved their family to Manitoba to start growing the wool.
They are both passionate about connecting people to fibres and the land.
In the summer they are also busy with Farmers Markets, Fibre Festivals and other festivals.
Leisurely, they love to go to the local swimming holes, or beaches, sometimes take a little time for camping, get togethers with extended families (apprentice may be asked to farm sit in some situations)
Both farms are deeply engaged with other farming and wool-based communities in Winnipeg. We have large families and communities that are often on the farm or off doing things. They have tried to include past apprentices in outside activities when possible!
About the Apprenticeship
Day to day activities can look like really different but will be planned ahead as much as possible and communicated in weekly or monthly meetings.
Some chores such as rotational grazing of chicken or sheep such as moving fencing or chicken tractors happen every day or every few days, some things are annually such as shearing or vaccinations, some are monthly or weekly such as labeling yarn, making batting, wool pellets, making and cutting felt products, garden work, weeding, planting, watering (plants and animals) offering farm tours or helping with sales at a market day and more.
Some of the work will be on a more set schedule and some will be more flexible. Long Way Homestead generally works with a more rigid schedule of set hours (this is more important for work in the mill), whereas the farm work at Ferme Fiola will be determined on a day-to-day and week-to-week basis. Work hours will be structured to accommodate weather and other factors.
The work week will be split between the 2 farms: Two days a week at Long Way Homestead and 3 at Ferme Fiola Farm, there also might be extra hours available for the apprentice if wanted.
The ideal duration of employment is April 15th- Oct 15th (flexible)
There will be a probation period at the beginning of the apprentice work term.
The job requirements are:
- It is easier for the farms to host an apprentice who does eat meat to be able to share regular meals.
- A Valid Drivers license
- Have a vehicle
- Able to lift 20lbs minimum
- Problem solving skills
- Attention to detail
- Ability to work in various weather conditions
- Any experience with mechanical equipment or machinery, animal health or husbandry
- Willing to work in the wool mill.
- Self-motivated
- Easily self directed
- Enthusiastic and positivity is a plus
- Has specific interests they want to pursue
- Works well with others (team player)
- Brings ideas to the table
- Great listening skills
- They need someone that is able bodied. This is an important criteria for the work as the terrain is unpredictable, muddy, and not easily accessible. Sorry for not accommodating otherwise.
- Some French or bilingual is an asset
- Someone with an explicit interest in sheep and wool industry is a bonus
- Content to work on their own
- Understands the complexity of family-life and knows that sometimes there will be disruption and interruption and can identify and adapt accordingly (will need to make the best decision with what they have been taught without direction)
- Comfortable with customer service (lots of tourism and sales on our farms)
Apprentices are willing to learn these skills:
- Observing the water cycle
- Assessing soil health in the field
- Techniques to encourage plant diversity
- Safety around animals
- Animal Health
- Feeding & watering
- Lambing
- Assessing forage quality & health of pasture
- Networking with new people
Compensation
Wage will be $18-$21 per hour based on experience
They have possible access to grants for ages 18-30, or folks looking at going back to school.
The apprentice will need their own reliable transportation. They need someone who can get between the farms without their assistance or any reliance on the farmers.
About the Community
The farms are just 1 hour to many beautiful lakes in Manitoba’s Eastern Whiteshell Provincial Park. 1 hour to Seven Sister falls, 1 hour to Falcon lake, 1 hour to Patricia Beach on Lake Winnipeg, and 1 hour to Winnipeg the city. Bird’s Hill Provincial Park is only a 45 minute drive with many walking trails and the famous Winnipeg Folk Festival in early July. There are also many other closer rural communities with beautiful scenery and places to explore. The farms host “sheep camp” in mid June, which is a short term sheep and wool farming immersion course. Winnipeg – 1 hour
Accommodations
Accommodation details: The little cabin is located on Ferme Fiola Farm. It is 3 season dwelling with wood stove or space heater, a kitchenette and a bed. It is small and is closer to camping than a house and is located a few dozen steps from the farm house. All other amenities will be in Christel and Joey’s house and will be shared with the Ferme Fiola Farm Family.
The apprentice will be allowed to come and go in the house and use the kitchen, bathroom, laundry, etc between 730am and 7pm after which the family will want space to have family and bed time.
The apprentice can retreat to their personal space or anywhere outside on the property as well.
The farm has a strict no smoking indoors and only on sidewalk or driveway out of respect for future guests, the kids, and to prevent a fire hazard (this is a growing threat).
Accommodations shared with other employees/apprentices: no
Pets permitted: no
Guests permitted: maybe
Rent: RENT IS TBD
Accommodation Agreement: yes
The farms look forward to seeing you all!
