The Redboine Watershed District (RBWD) is pleased to present Nicolas Jobin with the 2025 RBWD Watershed Award. This award recognizes his outstanding contributions and the significant impact he continues to have on our landscape.
Nicolas was born and raised on his family’s farm near Saint Claude. His father initially operated the farm as a dairy but transitioned it to a mixed farm, producing beef, pork, and grains in 1996. After graduating from high school in 2003, Nicolas worked seasonally on the farm while also completing his welding certification and gaining experience in the trade.
At the age of 22, Nicolas returned full-time to the farm to work alongside his father. In 2008, he initiated the process for Organic Certification of the farm. By 2014, Nicolas was farming organic beef and grains and was also direct marketing beef and pork with his wife, Leanna. His goal was always to expand his cattle operation and transition to full-time ranching. While he enjoyed all aspects of farming, his true passion lay in working with cattle and improving his pastures and land for future generations of farmers.
In 2016, with guidance from various ranch mentors, Nicolas focused his farm operations exclusively on cattle ranching, emphasizing rotational grazing and effective pasture management.
Currently, Nicolas and Leanna, along with their four young children, operate a large-scale ranch with cow/calf and backgrounding operations. They focus on regenerative pasture and land practices, which aim to enhance soil health and land productivity for the next stewards of this land.
Through the RBWD GROW program, Jobin has created a series of swales that go across the high points of the ranch. He installed a series of dams and culverts that will hold back and divert water slowly over his property through the swales. Once the retention ponds have reached their maximum capacity the design of the swales will allow the overflow to travel across the sandy landscape as slowly as possible along the farthest distance. The slow-moving water will help fill as many potholes as possible along the way to maximize the amount of water that can be infiltrated into the soil and reduce water erosion. By holding water back in the sandy soil, it will increase the recharge of groundwater which will also provide a larger capacity of accessible water for the cattle. This project will help reduce the total volume and speed at which water will flow downstream in the watershed. The increased storage on the wetlands will provide increased wildlife habitat, water storage and decrease the nutrient load.
Submitted my Angie Smith
