Planting preparations are underway in southern Manitoba. 

McCutcheon Farms takes care of about 2,500 acres between Carman and Homewood.

Warren McCutcheon hopes to get some wheat in the ground this week, ahead of rain showers forecast in the coming days. He says they will also get to work preparing the ground for corn.

He notes field conditions are bit on the dry side heading into planting and says any moisture would be a benefit now and into the growing season. 

"I mean be careful what we wish for around here (because) things can change pretty quick, but that being said, because we were so dry we can definitely take a little more moisture this year," explained McCutcheon. "We'll need some very timely rains and a decent amount of moisture in the growing season as our reserves have definitely been tapped out from the last couple of years."

As for timing, he feels operations are pretty much on schedule. 

"We always kind of shoot for the first of May and anything you can do in April is kind of a bonus, if you can get some cereals in in April and then we kind of look the first week of May for corn hopefully."

Meantime, McCutcheon says he won't be rolling the dice a whole lot when it comes to crop intentions for 2019 and plans to stick with the usual rotation between soybeans, edible beans, corn, wheat and canola. 

"Hopefully we'll see some bounce-back in some of these markets. There's a lot of stuff going on in the world as far as trade disputes and excessive grain with the record crops in the U.S. last year," he added. "There's certainly been a bog down on the markets, it's not real exciting right now but a lot can change between now and harvest."