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 Operators

Matthew Banbury

Matthew Banbury

Sprayer 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.

Andre Esterhuyse

Andre Esterhuyse

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Andre arrived in Canada in 2006 with his wife and three children from southwest Africa. Since then, Andre has established his own sheep farming operation, which he still manages while also working full time with Land and Sky. He brings an element of precision and exactness to the team, ensuring everything from snow blowing to seeding is completed with care.

Brett Petracek

Brett Petracek

Journeyman Welder

Brett brings spunk to the team with his fun-loving attitude. An ideal day for Brett at Land and Sky is a smooth harvest day. Brett was born and raised in Whitewood, where he gained experience working on a mixed operation, as well as in a tire shop. Brett has recently completed his Journeyman Welder courses and successfully passed his exams. Congratulations Brett!

Kyle Ward

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 three daughters at the hockey rink.

Danyka Maurer

Danyka Maurer

HR and Branding Administrator

Danyka brings mixed experience in both agriculture and human resources management. After completing a degree in Business Administration and a certificate in Economics, Danyka spent some time working with Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation before joining the team at Land and Sky in January of 2022. When not in the field or office, Danyka can be found renovating her new home.

James Hook

James Hook

Born and raised in the Maritimes, James has an ardent interest in prairie agriculture. He challenged himself to gain more relevant experience by moving from New Brunswick to Ontario for a number of years before finally fulfilling his dream of moving west to the prairies. James is a willing student and takes on many projects at both work and home to increase his knowledge base. He is currently building a computer from the ground up!

Jordan Sanders

Jordan Sanders

Bio coming soon

Seasonal Operators

Joe Kardash

Joe Kardash

Wilf Schick

Wilf Schick

Jared Schmidt

Jared Schmidt

Levi Maurer

Levi Maurer

Mariah Maurer

Mariah Maurer

Don Urschel

Don Urschel

Rudi Prinsloo

Rudi Prinsloo

Wayne Schick

Wayne Schick

Brian Andrusiak

Brian Andrusiak

Reg Andrews

Reg Andrews

Josh Picard

Josh Picard

Keegan Davis

Keegan Davis

Kayla Rienks

Kayla Rienks

Rhys Feenstra

Rhys Feenstra

Jayson Male

Jayson Male

Nathan Aube

Nathan Aube

Charles Beaudry

Charles Beaudry

Phillipe Lecuyer

Phillipe Lecuyer

Chloe Pyke

Chloe Pyke

Owners

Ryan Maurer

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

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 financial, administrative, and human resources 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

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!

Family

Ryan and Lauren’s four children each have a unique passion for agriculture. Cassandra joined the corporate partnership in 2019 and Danyka returned to the business in 2022. Levi joins the team seasonally, working as a Heavy Duty Equipment Mechanic in the off-seasons. Mariah is attending the University of Saskatchewan to obtain her Bachelors of Science in Agronomy.

In January, Cassandra and Deven welcomed a little boy. Kash is happiest when bouncing around the field with his mom – a little farmer in the making!