While the sun might again be shining down on the region, Riverina farmers have been left to deal with the "devastating" damage caused by the recent barrage of wet weather.
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A La Nina event was declared last week, and eastern Australia is set for a "wetter than average summer" in the Bureau of Meteorology's latest seasonal climate outlook.
Jason Webster - a farmer based at Osborne, south of Lockhart - said he could never have imagined November would bring such a soaking.
He copped a record-breaking 180 millimetres of rain last week after three days of constant wet weather.
The closest monthly total for November in the history of the farm's rainfall charts was 131mm in 1916.
"In 1917, we had 120mm in November, and then in 1995 we had 120mm, so they were the only times that we have had over 100mm," Mr Webster said.
"To have 180mm shows just how wet it is and how it normally doesn't happen at this time of year."
Mr Webster said the damage to the crops was quite devastating, and some people had not had a chance to get started on harvesting.
"Most people got a couple of days of harvest before the rain, but no one really made a start," he said.
"We have been trying our hardest to get the stuff done, but the crop was not right, and we have had a few rain events.
"The first issue is going to be the downgrading of our wheat, barley, and canola. There will be a fair downgrading in price. Just how much that will be, we don't know yet. Farmers always expect the worst but hope for the best."
Mr Webster said 2020 had seen a "bumper season" for crops, and it was looking like 2021 would be another great year, but the deluge of rain has dampened that.
"Basically, the whole of NSW is going to have downgraded grain," he said.
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"We were looking like we were going to have a great year again, and to have that taken away from you at the last minute is like someone giving you a big paycheck and then saying you can only have half of that.
"You have to accept it, but it is never much fun."
On top of downgrading crops, Mr Webster said there was the added stress of machinery getting bogged.
"You drive into wet spots, and if you get these heavy machines bogged, it's a pretty big job to get them out," he said.
"It puts a lot of mental stress on everyone because you're tired, you are frustrated that your crop has lost a lot of value, and then you have these extra challenges.
"We are still going to be harvesting into December and January, and we still don't know what the weather is going to do."
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