As the number of farms decreases and the age of farmers increases across Canada, intergenerational knowledge transfer of farming practices is diminishing.
Fortunately, thanks to the ambition and efforts of producers and the work of organizations like Young Agrarians, new and experienced farmers can participate in apprenticeships to learn and gain valuable experiences. The Young Agrarians Apprenticeship program (YAAP) is one such opportunity.
Through this initiative, each year, host farmers and ranchers from across the country welcome a new crop of eager and green apprentices onto their operations.
“Giving somebody a leg up on understanding how to do things to go to their next step is what we do,” says Laura Hart of Hanna’s Hart Ranches. She and her husband Mike hosted an apprentice for the first time throughout the 2025 season. Their diversified operation includes beef cattle raised for auction, goats, hay and a greenhouse.
The Hart family implemented regenerative agriculture into their operation long before it became a widespread term.
“This is kind of fragile land out here. So, everybody’s been repairing it since the 30s, pretty much,” Mike says. “Now we’re starting to see ways that we can speed up the regen process.” For example, they harvest from hay lands once every four years. In between harvests, yearling steers graze that land for three years.
Spanning British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, the Young Agrarians network connects aspiring farmers and growers with host farms and ranches specializing in regenerative agriculture. Applicants selected for the season are fully immersed in day-to-day operations. This paid learning opportunity offers peer mentorship and hands-on experience, equipping apprentices with the skills and knowledge needed to run a profitable and sustainable farm business.
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