Two weeks before Christmas, cherry grower Guy Gaeta was preparing to chuck out his entire harvest.
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So relentless had the rains been throughout 2022, his crop was looking green and they were just the ones that had survived damage and disease.
But something miraculous happened just before the festive season.
"Two weeks before Christmas we didn't think we were going to pick a cherry," Mr Gaeta said.
"Then it stopped raining and they just grew. It's unbelievable. Usually two weeks before Christmas the cherries are pink and this season they were green.
"But they caught up and the market was still strong after Christmas and it's still strong now.
"We've just finished our last 500 boxes. I was selling cherries to people from Young to sell on the road side stall!
"Honestly if I was a card player I wouldn't have gambled on it this year. We thought we were going to lose the whole lot.
"We were getting bogged in December and by new years you wouldn't believe it, we had to start watering. It was that dry it wasn't funny."
Over at Hillside Harvest owner Paula Charnock said the quantity was well down due to the prolonged rain but that that the quality of the fruit was good.
"The fruit we ended up getting was good we just didn't have enough," she told the CWD.
"The season was delayed but also very short because of the lack of quantity.
"The lack of cherries before Christmas did affect us and we only picked for two weeks compared to the usual four or five weeks."
As soon as one harvest ends, attentions turn to the year ahead. Mr Gaeta is optimistic with full dams and drier weather forecast.
"To grow good cherries you need full dams and a drought," Mr Gaeta said.
"When your dams are full like they are you don't mind a dry winter, but that's just us. We'll take winter as it comes. If it snows every second day it gives me some time off!"
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