Starting August 1, 2017

Applications are being accepted for the Applied Sustainable Ranching Program 1040 Applied Skills and Diversification.

This is a great opportunity to start off the program and have the opportunity to see the broad enterprises that ranches and farms in the region are using for their diversification strategies.  For more information see the Thompson Rivers University Ranching Program info.

This program qualifies for student loans and there are also quite a few student awards available. To apply for the TRU Grit awards see our blog post and apply today!

The deadline for the TRU Grit Entrance Awards deadline has been extended to August 15, 2017

TRU Grit has six awards available of $2000 for full-time students and $1000 for part time students.

See the application here TRU GRIT

We recently added the Van Immerzeel, Colour V Ranch to our Host Ranches. Check out what Cheryl Van Immerzeel had to tell us about her ranch.

15 years ago my husband and I first started this ranching adventure. We started off raising quality paints and quarter horses, and slowly expanded.  We have 3 sows and a boar and raise 4 litters of piglets a year, we sell as weaners and also raise to custom finish.  Now we have a herd of about 50 pure bred Simmental cows, mainly all originating from my husband’s family breeding program of 35+ years.

We do raise some steers to finish for customers, and sell the remainder.  We also raise meat birds and have laying hens.  We love being able to offer others the opportunity to have all natural, home grown, hormone and medicated free meat (organic). We also have our own milk cow and a large vegetable garden, and trying to grow some fruit trees for our area.  We are almost self-sufficient here, which has been a dream come true.

Our ranch has changed from the beginning of raising and training horses (I used to do all the training too), as we do not raise a lot of horses anymore, still a couple, but our main focus is the meat products.

We also range our beef cows in the summer, and do a large portion of our own hay, so it takes up a lot of our time.  Most of our hayfields are meadow, self-flooding in the spring so we do not have to irrigate which is nice, even on the dry years we still have some moisture in there.  When we first bought our ranch here, 9 years ago, it was highly over grazed, so we have been in the process of bringing back the pastures and also cross fencing to do more pasture rotation.

We calve out in February-April, because we are lower ground here and it is better to do it while the ground is frozen, rather than soggy and wet.  Foals are born in April or May.

About Us:

We have 3 children, Ellie age 12, Trace age 9, and Zadie-Lynn age 7.  They are all very active in the 4H program, as are Pete and I with volunteering our time and leadership.  I have been an active 4H leader for over 5 years, it is a great program. Both my husband and I went through agriculture programs back at Olds College.  We love to share our farm life with others.

We are so lucky to have talented instructors, directors and advisors for the Applied Sustainable Ranching program. See the article below that David Zirnhelt has written for the Williams Lake Tribune about the program. He hits all the points that make this learning experience well worth it.  A common question we get from potential students is “How would I be able to do this program and keep up on the ranch?”

David’s article answers a lot of questions prospective students ask. So if your thinking about the program but hesitating because you think it might not fit into your life, you might be surprised. Read David’s article below and contact program director Jill Watt to see how this could fit into your life.

“When they are at home or placed in a ranch/farm setting they work half time for the host and do online work, half time independent study and group work. This type of learning/teaching is a wave of the future. It is called experiential learning. Combining online study with face-to-face learning is a recipe for success. The major work of the course is all geared for the completion of a business and operational plan for a ranch/farm business, although the business training itself would serve any business well. ”

See David’s full article here.

Contact Jill here:

Cariboo Chevrolet Buick GMC Entrance Award: Open to current 4-H members and 4-H alumni.

Application Deadline: January 15, 2017

This $5,200 award is open to current 4-H members and 4-H alumni who have been out of 4-H for up to 5 years, in the province of BC who are applying to enter the Applied Ranching Program at the TRU Williams Lake Campus.  Preference will be given to members within the Cariboo Region.

Applicants:

Applicants will be required to submit a 300-500 word essay outlining why they want to enter the Applied Ranching program at TRU Williams Lake campus. Applicants are encouraged to provide information about themselves and outlining any work done in the 4-H program. The successful applicants will have the value of this award credited to their tuition account on a semesterized basis.

Inquiries about this award or the Applied Sustainable Ranching Program should be directed to:

Gillian Watt, Program Coordinator
Cell: 250-319-2367
gwatt@tru.ca

APPLICATION: 

Cariboo Chevrolet Buick GMC Entrance Award 2017

TRU is now accepting applications for ASUR 1020 Sustainable Business Enterprise starting January 23, 2017. We are pleased to announce the Bill Freding Memorial Entrance Award. Application Deadline: January 10, 2017

The successful applicants will have the value of this award credited to their tuition account on a semesterized basis.

One $5,000 award will be awarded annually to a first year student in the Applied Sustainable Ranching program in memory of Bill Freding, a pioneer in the agriculture industry with a passion for lifelong learning and giving back to the community and industry he loved.

Bill Freding had a deep understanding and commitment to the BC beef industry and was always there to lend a hand, provide insight or attend an event. Bill was a strong supporter of developing the local markets and was on the front line when it came to trying new ideas. Bill was very patient and passionate about teaching newcomers to the industry. He was an instigator of fun, learning and innovation.

Applicant must:

Be a student enrolled in the Applied Sustainable Ranching program at Thompson Rivers University – Williams Lake Campus

Submit an essay of three to five pages that answer the following questions:

• What has the agricultural industry given you?
• What can you do to help support the positive face of agriculture in today’s society?
• What do you see as the most effective means to educate consumers about the beef industry?
• How are you planning to use the knowledge you gain from the Applied Sustainable Ranching program?

The awards will be applied as a tuition reduction of $1,000 for full-time students and $500 for part-time students at the start of classes in the Fall 2016 semester. The remaining amount will be applied as a tuition reduction for the Winter 2017 semester.

Bill Freding Memorial Entrance Award 2017 Application

PDF available here:

Bill Freding Memorial Entrance Award 2017 Application

Instructions:

1. Complete all sections of this application form.
2. Submit a three to five page essay answering the following questions:

• What has the agricultural industry given you?
• What can you do to help support the positive face of agriculture in today’s society?
• What do you see as the most effective means to educate consumers about the beef industry?
• How are you planning to use the knowledge you gain from the Applied Sustainable Ranching program?

1. Submit a Grade 12 transcript with your application

Personal Information:

Name: (Family, first, middle) _________________________________

Preferred Name: _____________

Street: _____________________________________________________________________

City: _________________________________Province: _____________

Postal Code: ______________

Phone: ______________________________

Email: _________________________________________

Date of Birth: (Y/M/D) ___________________________________Gender:  M  F 

Social Insurance number_______________________

TRU student number (if available) _____________

Education Information:

Name of secondary school currently attending or last attended: _________________________________

School phone number: _________________________

Fax number: _____________________________

Anticipated graduation date from secondary school (if applicable): _______________________________

Declaration:

I hereby certify that the information submitted in the preceding section and in my personal essay is, to the best of my knowledge, complete and accurate. I authorize the release of all secondary school interim and final grades to Thompson Rivers University.

Should I be awarded an award, I agree that my name may be released to scholarship donors and my secondary school and may appear in a published list of award winners.

Signature: _________________________________________

Date: ____________________________

• Please note that only successful applicants will be notified. If special circumstances exist (such as the recipient being medically unfit or being the recipient of another scholarship), TRU may, at the discretion of the Financial Aid and Awards Office, defer the period of acceptance for a maximum one year. The student is not permitted to defer the award to future years.
• Should the award recipient withdraw during the first or subsequent semesters of the period of study for which the award is granted, the balance of the award will be cancelled.

Submit your application and essay to:

Student Awards and Financial support

Email: awards@tru.ca

Please enter “Bill Freding Memorial Award” as the subject line of your email.

Emailed applications are required