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YA APPRENTICESHIP 2025: DELORAINE, MB – GWM FARMS
Are you interested in large scale regenerative agriculture? Are you ready to jump in a tractor and spend your days in the beautiful outdoors? GWM Farms is excited to offer an regenerative grain production apprenticeship just for you!
About the Farm
GWM Farms is located on Treaty 2 territory, 9 miles NW of Deloraine, MB.
GWM Farms is a 3300 acre, multigenerational regenerative grain farm operated by Darren Maddess, along with his parents Gary and Wendy, wife Robyn and their two children Teagan and Ethan. On this family farm, three generations work to grow wheat, oats, fall rye, grass seed, canola, peas, soybeans along with other crops dependent on crop rotation and market conditions.
Biology is a major focus at GWM Farms, with most seed being bioprimed with Indigenous Micro Organism Solutions (IMOS). Compost extract is used as fertilizer, and there are plans to implement more Johnson Su bioreactors in the 2025 season. GWM Farms also uses cover crops which are inter-seeded in the spring or fall seeded when conditions are favorable. Tillage has been eliminated completely (with the exception of smoothing ruts after a wet year). The reduction in tillage along with other management practices is helping reduce inputs and improve soil health.
Robyn is passionate about chickens so raising chickens in chicken tractors is a possible side venture for the apprentice. Being a multigenerational farm that’s tried many things they have a wealth of knowledge and experiences that they are more than willing to share with their apprentice! Always in the pursuit of knowledge to improve their farming practices and better their home and selves, they enjoy meeting new people and pursuing new ideas.
About the Apprenticeship
At GWM Farms you will have the unique experience to enter into a grain farm production system that will show and teach an apprentice the ways to navigate the grain production world, and give you experience with regenerative farming practices. This is a unique opportunity to get paid to build and practice your farming skills, grow your farming network and make connections to allow for more opportunities to come your way!
The apprenticeship will run from April until September with flexible dates for students. Work days will begin around 8:30am to around 6:00pm with longer days during seeding and harvest. The rest of the summer will allow for shorter days and additional days off. Work will include but not be limited to operating equipment (tractors, airseeder, sprayer), crop checking (scouting for weeds, insects, plant health and soil health) and equipment maintenance.
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
Darren Maddess will be your mentor being the farm manager with assistance from Robyn his wife and Grant & Wendy Maddess (parents). Darren is a 39 year old graduate of U of MB where he received his B.Sc. in Agriculture. Married to Robyn, a culinary arts and business accounting graduate who works off farm while taking time off to bioprime seed in spring and run the combine in the fall. Robyn is also head leader for the local 4-H club and a part of the Turtle Mountain Metis Local.
Darren & Robyn became involved in a regenerative ag program sponsored by General Mills in 2019 which resulted in valuable insight and a wonderful network of people. Their children Teagan (15) & Ethan (9) help with odd jobs around the farm which includes tending to year round layer chickens and seasonal broilers. Most currently our grain cart operator position was filled by Teagan in 2024 though she holds an off farm job position now and is expanding skills in other areas. They are passionate about regenerative agriculture and creating biodiversity on our land and enjoy seeing the fruits of their labour such as a return of various birds to the area.
Skills this farm has to teach
The following skills are being offered by this farm. Apprentices will work to identify the skills they want to develop to a learning plan with the host farm.
| Grain production | COver Cropping & intercropping |
|---|---|
| Tractor/Large Equipment Use |
Multi-year crop planning |
| Regenerative principles | seeding & HarVEST |
| Biopriming Seed & Composting | Techniques to Minimize Tillage |
| Equipment Maintenance | Raising Chickens |
Skills Required of the Apprentice
Looking for an apprentice with a desire to learn and a passion for farming. Someone who is self-motivated and not afraid to ask question!
A minimum of a class 5 drivers license is required. Basic tractor-driving skills are an asset.
Apprentice must have appropriate work attire for the farm which includes but not limited appropriate footwear for various weather situations such as steel toed boots and rubber boots. Along with coveralls, hat, work clothes, and gloves.
Housing, Wages and Duration
About the Community and Land
Deloraine Manitoba is 9 miles away and is home to roughly 1000 people with amenities to serve the community including grocery, hardware, fuel, restaurants an ice cream store and a new pool which opened in 2024. Nearby are the Turtle Mountains where there a many lakes for fishing, water sports and hiking options in Turtle Mountain Provincial Park. Brandon is the nearest city just 1 hour from the farm.
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.
More Details about this Apprenticeship and How to Apply
Applications Due: February 16, 2024
Contact Sara Yagelniski, the Manitoba Program Coordinator, with questions: saray@youngagrarians.org
Interested in an Apprenticeship but this isn’t quite the right one? Check out other Young Agrarians Apprenticeships being offered in 2025 here.