As we move towards the end of September, which is one of the most important growing months for Australia's winter crop, we can almost see the finish line.
Back-to-back 30-million-tonne wheat crops have been on the cards for much of the year.
Due to NSW experiencing a cool and wet-ish September, only a hot and frosty finish will spoil the party.
A drive through NSW at this time of the year is often met with sea of yellow canola plantings and, due to a healthy increase in sown area and crops bursting out of the paddock, this seems more obvious than ever.
Canola is back in vogue for 2021, and it is right on the cusp of paying excellent dividends as we inch closer towards the point where growers can marry yield potential with prices on the harvest cash boards.
The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) has penciled-in a five million-tonne canola crop - and the timing couldn't be more perfect.
Canada's well-documented production issues mean international prices have been hitting record levels during the past six months.
Planting in April on the back of price signals from overseas markets is a risky game for Australian growers and, with eight long months until harvest, things can change.
Market direction since the oilseed crop was planted has rewarded the brave.
Prices have been firming as the year progresses.
Although NSW growers have taken some cover along the way, their resilience under the expected heavy harvest selling pressure will be the next test.
The same production issues in Canada and the Black Sea region that have prompted the rally in canola values have also pushed international wheat prices to lofty levels.
Similar to canola, wheat was a popular choice at sowing with Australian growers - especially across the top half of NSW.
So, if weather can play its part, the state is on track to potentially produce a record crop.
It is not often that there is a back-to-back bumper crop.
So, it will be a massive task to harvest, store and move the large quantity of grain. This was also the case in 2020-21.
There will no doubt be pressure on physical storage for grain - not only in the bulk network, but also in growers' on-farm storage.
As a result, we may see increased harvest pressure from what we experienced last year.
Alternatively, due to high canola prices, growers may be slower sellers of cereals in general.
Also, growers are more likely to have increased cash on hand than they did at this time last year. This may slow the selling pace.
But, supposing wheat values remain at current levels or better, it would be difficult to turn down.
While there is much yet to happen before the grain is harvested and sold, it is hard not to be optimistic about the next 12 months.
There are still many long hours and hard yards to put in before it's in the bank.
But who would have predicted that - after years of drought - we might be in a position to be able to put two bumper harvests together with strong pricing.
