At almost 80 years old, “Brownie” has been working the paddocks of his family’s Collingullie grain property since he left school at 14.

He’s one of hundreds of local farmers putting the finishing touches on the 2015 harvest, a harvest agronomists are saying is one of the best in years.

For “Brownie”, harvest means 15 hour days and seven day weeks.

But he sees it as quality family time, with daughter Valaire, son David and his five grandchildren all chipping in.

“You never hear a cocky complain, mate,” he said.

“This is all I know, it’s just what I do.

“And as long as I’m capable of doing it, I’ll keep doing it.”

He said this year’s harvest could have been “a ripper” if the rains had helped finish off crops in September.

Agronomist Bob Moorfield from Landmark Lockhart agreed.

He said while the season hadn’t entirely delivered what it promised early on, the Riverina still fared better than most of the Australian east coast.

“The last couple of months we’ve come back a bit on our expectation but it’s generally been good,” Mr Moorfield said.

“It’s certainly above the long-term average.

“Wagga and district have been the pick of the state and probably the pick of eastern Australia.”

Barley had emerged as the star grain, he said, while wheat and canola had both fared well.

Wheat was averaging three-and-a-half tonnes a hectare, he said, and reaching five tonnes in some paddocks.

Quality was mixed in some areas where rain caused protein and nitrogen to drop off, he said.

‘Farmers are generally very happy and prices are quite good,” Mr Moorfield said.

He said parts of the Riverina west of Urana and northern areas like Barellan and West Wyalong had not enjoyed as good a season as around Wagga.

As for “Brownie”, he’s looking forward to his 90^th birthday, even though he turns 80 on December 15.

“I don’t want a big fuss this year, I think I’ll just have a beer at the Gullie pub,” he said. “They’re trying to throw me a party but I said I’ll have one for my 90^th instead.”

And with that, he leaps back into the header and roars off into the distance.