The sun is shining, the ground is warming up, and out in the Prairies, farmers are gearing up for a busy seeding season. According to folks on the ground at LMS Ag north of Steinbach, things are shaping up nicely.
David Pelletier, Service Manager at LMS Ag, says this spring’s weather is helping fuel a lot of optimism.
“It's very positive right now,” he says. “The weather has been in our favour. There's been some moisture, the weather forecast is looking great. I'm thinking there's wheat in the ground already. Some guys have started corn, and by Monday, I think almost every farm will have machinery in the field.”
And while driving around right now might not reveal a ton of visible farm activity just yet, Pelletier assures us that’s about to change fast.
“Warm temperatures this weekend are definitely helpful.”
Of course, it’s never all sunshine in farming. While the mood is mostly upbeat, there’s always a level of uncertainty that farmers carry with them, especially these days.
“They're pretty optimistic,” Pelletier says, “but there’s always some concerns with what's going on in the world with commodity prices, uncertainties with other countries. But for the most part, I mean, farmers are used to it.”
One of those uncertainties? Canola tariffs.
Pelletier explains, “There will be some impact there. But what farmers decide to seed now, well, who knows what it’ll look like in the fall when it’s coming off the field? If it's not canola, it’s something else. That’s just the world we live in.”
In the LMS Ag parts department, Annabelle Guse sees the pace pick up in her own way.
“Definitely planter parts,” she says when asked about the biggest demand right now. “People are getting their planters ready. They put them away last year and kind of forget what needed fixing. Then they pull it out of the shed and go, ‘Oh yeah… that was broken.’”
Guse, who came into the role through a bit of luck and good timing, brings farm familiarity and industry experience to the job.
“I grew up on a chicken farm,” she says. “I’d been in parts before, just in construction. My dad knew someone at LMS, and one thing led to another.”
As for the unexpected? Guse notes that farmers have a knack for doing things their own way.
“Farmers are very creative in how they decide to break things. You try to stock what you think people will need, and then they surprise you. You go, ‘I didn’t think they were gonna use a tractor for that!’”
Over in the service bay, Pelletier is seeing the same thing many across the industry are dealing with tech headaches.
“With technology always improving, we’re seeing a lot more electronic issues, sensors, electric motors, that sort of thing,” he says. “You used to be able to throw something in the field and it would just work. Now, there’s so much going on electronically, you don’t even know there’s a problem until it’s under load.”
While seeding season does bring a rush, it’s harvest that’s the biggest service crunch. “Seeding is crazy for about a week, then it levels off. Harvest is when we’ve got the most guys out on the road,” Pelletier explains.
His advice for farmers looking to keep things running smoothly? Get ahead of it.
“Do pre-season checks in the offseason. Get the machines in the shop, tear ‘em apart, and try to catch anything before it breaks.”
As far as common misconceptions are concerned, Pelletier chuckles at the timing of farming.
“Some years, we’ve gone from combining one day to seeding the next,” he says. “It’s rare, but it happens.”
Still, for all the stress and the unpredictability, there’s a real joy in it, says Pelletier.
“Getting outdoors, that fresh air, the smell of the soil—it’s rejuvenating. It reminds guys why they love it.”
Guse agrees, noting that while technology has made some things easier, it’s also added complexity.
“You’ve got GPS, all these sensors—it helps, but it also means more can go wrong,” she says. “And everything’s more expensive now, so if you’re starting out, it’s tough. But that’s the tradeoff: easier in some ways, harder in others.”
As seeding begins, one thing is clear: farmers are rolling with the changes, adapting fast, and getting ready for another go at it. Wrenches in hand, sensors flashing, and boots in the dirt.
*With files from Carly Koop.