Alyssa Pilon needed a job and was interested in farming.
She had recently moved from her home town of Timmins to the agricultural District of Rainy River in northwestern Ontario. She moved there with her boyfriend, Andrew Loney.
Pilon and Loney were graduates of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Program at Sault College.
Andrew was working for Fire at the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, but Pilon had only been offered some short-term opportunities and needed something longer.
Then Pilon heard about a unique job in agriculture. The Rainy River Elk Company in Devlin was looking for an agricultural intern.
They were approved for an internship under Agri-Food Canada’s “Youth Employment and Skills Strategy.”
The program provides job funding assistance to help youth overcome barriers to employment, and develop a broad range of skills and knowledge.
Pilon was successful in getting the job.
Working on an elk farm was totally new.
But in many ways it was like any farm that directly markets meat products through farmers’ markets, and sales to stores and restaurants.
Soon Pilon was tagging elk calves, cutting hay and handling elk.
Her passionate interest in farming drove her to be good at her job.
And she enjoyed the fact that every day brought a new task, new experience and new skills.
It brought everything from feeding elk to fixing machinery, hauling hay, data entry and selling to customers at the Kenora and Sioux Lookout Farmers’ Markets.
“In most jobs, time drags. But while farming I can’t believe how time flies by. Every day is something new,” said Pilon.
As to the farmers who own Rainy River Elk Company, Bill Darby and Deb Cornell, they’ve been very happy with Pilon and Agri-Food Canada’s Intern Program.
“The program encouraged us to provide Aly with a more planned and broad learning experience, and a longer period of employment than we might normally have provided”, said Darby.
“And Aly has been a delight to work with. She’s really interested in the work, and she’s a quick study,” he added.
As to the future, Pilon is not sure what it will bring, but this intern position has really helped her prepare for life.
