Who We Are
The Team
Without the team, there is no dream! This commitment and dedication of a knowledgeable team makes Land and Sky efficient.
Full-time Team Members
Matthew Banbury
Sprayer Lead, Safety Lead
A lifelong farmer, Matthew’s experience in agriculture has been an asset to the team. Matthew’s main focus is spraying operations, taking on a lead position. His attention to detail has served him well in this role. When the weather turns cold, Matthew spends his free time travelling to warmer places with his family.
Brett Petracek
Crew Lead, Journeyman Welder
Brett brings spunk to the team with his fun-loving attitude. Born and raised in the local area, Brett has broad agriculture experience that has led him to becoming a Crew Lead at Land & Sky. He spends his days working directly with the team, teaching and providing assistance to less experienced team members. As a Journeyman Welder, Brett is also regularly found fabricating or fixing, ensuring that all the equipment is in tip-top condition.
Andre Esterhuyse
Kyle Ward
Machine Technician
From combines, to cows, to canola, Kyle has a broad range of experience in agriculture. Kyle has launched into his role as a mechanic at Land and Sky after 12 years of working as a mechanic with John Deere. When not fixing, Kyle can be found feeding his cows or tying skates for his four daughters at the hockey rink.
Raelynn Strand
Administrative Assistant
Raelynn brings experience in both childcare and administration. She is eager to provide assistance wherever needed and is truly a team player. Raelynn is looking forward to learning more about agriculture and sharing that knowledge with her three daughters as she continues her journey in the industry.
Christy Porat
Kitchen Preparations
Christy has lived near Grenfell her whole life and commutes only a few miles to join us at the farm! Christy has a passion for cooking and assists in keeping the kitchen stocked with tasty freezer meals and snacks. A true rural gal, Christy loves to quad, snowmobile, camp, and garden in her free time.
Jenna Ward
If it involves the great outdoors and warm weather, you will find Jenna right in the midst! From landscape maintenance to combining, Jenna is a certified outdoor gal with a passion for getting the job done right the first time. Whatever Jenna puts her mind to she completes with a wholehearted attitude – including diligently going to the gym even when she’s working long harvest hours!
Abby Haines
Apprentice Machinery Technician
Born and raised in southwestern Ontario, Abby worked on both dairy and cash crop farms throughout high school. While completing a high school co-op program , opportunity knocked on her door when she took a position at an ag machinery shop and fell in love with equipment and repairs. Abby is now enrolled in the Saskatchewan Ag Equipment Technician Apprenticeship program, working and studying her way towards her journeyperson ticket.
Adam Macfie
Focusing his career in agriculture since a young age, Adam has a wide range of exposure to different sectors, including potato harvesting. Although Saskatchewan isn’t known for potato production, Adam’s skill set is well suited to grain, oilseed, and pulse production as well. He has developed a particular fondness for trucking and agricultural landscaping. Adam’s level demeanour adds a positive element to the team!
Kieran McRae
Eager to learn, Kieran joined our team mid-harvest and jumped straight in with both feet. He brings a happy-go-lucky attitude to each day that gets everyone on the team smiling and laughing. Kieran says that the best way to spend a day at Land & Sky is in a combine, cutting crop along the edge of the beautiful Qu’Appelle Valley.
Melanie Toth
Administrative Assistant
Melanie assists the team from an administrative standpoint, providing backend support in many areas of the business. Her keen interest in ensuring that everyone around her is taken care of is one of Melanie’s greatest qualities. During her free time, Melanie recharges by spending time with her two lovely dogs.
Seasonal Team Members
Wilf Schick
Don Urschel
Mariah Maurer
Rudi Prinsloo
Brian Andrusiak
Todd Armbruster
Kayla Rienks
Keegan Davis
Chloe Pyke
Nathan Aube
James Hook
Jordan Sanders
Dwayne Stahl
Cameron Rice
McKenna Richardson
Owners
Ryan Maurer
Land and Sky Grains Partner
Ryan moved to Lauren’s family farm in 1992 after their wedding. Prior to that, he farmed with his parents and brothers on their mixed grain, dairy, and hog operation. Since ’92, Ryan has focused on grain production and operations, logistics, facilities development, and resource management. He also focused on including his four kids in each seasonal operation, teaching them to operate every piece of equipment on the farm. Ryan sits on several boards, including the local RM Council.
Lauren Maurer
Land and Sky Grains Partner
Lauren was born and raised on the site of the main farmyard. She has been passionate about ag from a young age. She and Ryan farmed with her parents for several seasons before their retirement in 2004. Lauren currently manages the executive, financial, legal, and administrative aspects of the business and continues to work in primary production operations. Lauren recently completed her Masters Certificate in Leadership from the Kenneth Levene Graduate School of Business.
Cassandra Andrews
Land and Sky Grains Partner
Cassandra joined the business after completing a certificate program as an Ag Machinery Technician and a certificate in Business Administration. Cassandra’s focus has been on operations and optimization management during seeding and harvest. She has also joined Lauren in the finance and administrative aspects of the farm. Cassandra’s time spent working with John Deere has led her to manage the parts division at Land and Sky. Cassandra also enjoys spending time with her husband, Deven. Together, they are known to fix many vehicles and find the best spots for chicken wings in the province!
Danyka Scott
Land and Sky Grains Partner
Levi Maurer
Land and Sky Grains Partner
Family
Ryan and Lauren’s four children each have a unique passion for agriculture. Cassandra joined the corporate partnership in 2019 and Danyka in 2024. Levi recently returned to the business, while still completing his Heavy Duty Equipment Mechanic in the winter seasons. Mariah is attending the University of Saskatchewan to obtain her Bachelors of Science in Agronomy and works with a local ag retailer during the summer.
In December 2023, Danyka and Mathew were married. It was a beautiful day with temperatures of only -4 degrees and very minimal snow cover.