Are you interested in a farming experience in 2024? Are you ready to jump in the tractor to learn how to operate it and spend your days in the beautiful outdoor elements? Crescentwood Farms is excited to offer an exciting grain production apprenticeship to help you connect and learn from farmers directly on the land.
About the Farm
Crescentwood Farms is located on Treaty 2 territory near Russell, MB.
Crescentwood Farms is a 1400 acre grain Farm 10 km north of Russell/Manitoba, located within the beautiful Riding Mountain Biosphere Reserve. The farm grows hard red Spring Wheat, Oats, Malt Barley, Fall Rye, Canola, Field Peas, Perennial Ryegrass, Hairy Vetch, and Flax. They also produce around 200 bales of hay that they sell to local beef producers. Like its said – make hay while the sun shines! They rent out 350 acres of pasture to a beef-producing neighbor. In 2024, they will pasture 10 pigs through the summer which they have previous experience raising. With a diverse crop rotation, introducing annual and perennial companion crops, and a drastic reduction of tillage, they have been able to reduce chemical Inputs and disturbance to the soil. They have also increased water infiltration in the soil by observing the fields, pastures, soils, and crops that they steward. They continue to look for ways to have animals graze part of the cropland after harvest. They are a multi generational farm with years of experience grain and cattle farming. And the farmers at Crescentwood are dedicated to their learning journey through taking courses and integrating the skills they learn to improve their farming practices and the health of the land they tend to.
https://regenerationcanada.org/en/crescentwood-farms-ltd/
About the Apprenticeship
At Crescentwood Farms you will have the unique experience to enter into a grain farm production system that will show and teach an apprentice ways to navigate the grain production world, get a foot in the door of grain farming, as well as gain experience with regenerative farming practices. It is a tough world to imagine entering due to difficulty accessing land and capital costs to get started, however, if you are really interested in farming, apprenticing with mentors who are willing to show you the ropes is an incredible opportunity. Not only will an apprentice build their farming skills, they will also get paid to build and practice these skills, and grow their network and connections to allow for more opportunities to come their way!
As part of the apprenticeship, you will meet with other apprentices across Manitoba who are part of the Young Agrarians Apprenticeship program. Field days, farm tours, learning opportunities and potlucks will be planned with this group at each hosts farm.
About the mentors
The Main Mentor would be Moritz Passmann as the farm manager. Ross and Shirley Dunn (Mortiz’s in-laws) will assist with mentoring.
Moritz is 35 years old, married to Stacey Dunn, and has 1 son, Heijo Passmann. He is originally from Germany and has been farming with his inlaws for the last 5 years near Russell, MB. 4 years ago, Mortiz, started regenerative management practices and has been soaking up the skills since then. His previous education and work was as a civil engineer technician and master timber framer. Mortiz loves to hunt and has experience with firefighting and first aid training.
He says the long working hours during peak season make work difficult sometimes but they have developed protocols to overcome most difficulties like that.
Moritz is passionate about regenerative agriculture and is creatively finding ways to continue learning, growing, and improving the land that he cares for.
Skills this farm has to teach:
The following skills are being offered by this farm. While you’ll get exposure to many of these areas, it is likely that not all will be covered. Apprentices will work to identify the skills they want to develop to a learning plan with the host farm.
Grain production | Hay harvest |
---|---|
Tractor use | ROTATIONAL GRAZING |
Regenerative principles | seeding |
MANAGING Pastured PIGS | grain harvest |
crop planning | polyculture in cropping |
multigenerational farming / succession planning | techniques to minimize tillage |
Skills Required of the Apprentice
Apprentices must have a desire to learn, a valid drivers license, and an interest in regenerative agriculture. WHIMS (Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System) training is an asset. The apprentice will be expected to provide their own work clothing including: appropriate footwear for various seasons/weather situations, gloves, hat, work clothes, pocket knife, water bottle, snacks, etc.
There is an expectation of respectful behaviour on the land, in the house and in their yards.
Please be prepared to ask questions for clarifications around expectations during the interview process.
Housing, Stipend and Duration
*Housing will be in a camper (propane heater) with a small kitchen and bathroom. Visitors are welcome but are expected to work/contribute after day 2.
*Daily supper will be provided. Breakfast/Lunch is expected to be prepared by the apprentice in the camper.
*There will be access to laundry and Internet connection.
*Transportation may be available for the apprentice.
*Wage starting at $16/hr depending on experience/skill level.
*No deductions for housing while working, but there is an expectation to keep the camper clean, maintained and deep cleaned before departure.
*Discuss contribution for supper & meal clean up with mentors and farm family.
*A typical work day will be 8.5 hours and a typical work week will be 5.5 days
* Seeding and harvest are the most work-intensive times of the Year. Due to the accumulation of working hours in that time, they offer optional hour banking/time off during July.
*The apprenticeship season will begin with seeding around May 1st and end with harvest around September 25th with optional hour banking/time off during July off.
About the Community and Land
The farm is located close to the Saskatchewan boarder. It is quite rural with many possibilities for doing lots of outdoor activities! They are located 10 Km to Russell, Manitoba, which will be the main community for getting groceries, social connections, and all the necessary amenities. The farm is 10 Km to the Assiniboine Valley and a 20 min. Hwy drive to Asessippi provincial park where swimming, hiking, camping and beautiful scenery surrounds you!
They are also 10 miles to the edge of Riding Mountain National Park where one can see the ecosystem start to change to more aspen parkland.
Distance to more urban centers:
1 hr Hwy travel to Yorkton, Saskatchewan.
2 hrs Hwy travel to Brandon, Manitoba.
4 hrs Hwy travel to Winnipeg, Manitoba
The farm is on Treaty 2 territory and the traditional and ancestral lands of Anishinaabe, Cree, Assinaboine, Oji-Cree, Dakota, and Dene Peoples, and on the homeland of the Métis Nation. These communities have a deep relationship with this land based on, among other things, a spiritual connection and subsistence extending back thousands of years.
More Details about this Apprenticeship and How to Apply
Deadline > January 31st, 2024
Interested in an Apprenticeship but this isn’t quite the right one? Check out other Young Agrarians Apprenticeships being offered in 2024 here.