Celebrating harvest - 75 years of delivering grain to CBH

At 89 years old, Barry Green is celebrating an incredible milestone—not only his 75th harvest but 75 years of carting grain to CBH Wickepin!

When we heard about Barry's incredible achievement, we reached out to his daughter-in-law, Stefie, who got together with the rest of the family to surprise him with some well-deserved recognition. Barry has shared countless stories over the years with his family, and while he doesn’t know about this article (he’d likely tell us not to write it!), he’s always happy when people ask him about farming and the “old days.” We’re excited to share some of his story and celebrate this remarkable milestone.

Barry’s brief stint at the Wickepin Co-op lasted all of two weeks!

Born in 1935, Barry grew up on the family farm ‘Oaklands’, 5km from the CBH Wickepin receival site, Oaklands was settled by his grandfather in 1904 and from a young age, Barry was no stranger to hard work, helping on the farm alongside his family. He left school at 14 and had a two-week career at the Wickepin Co-op. His father arranged the job but Barry said ‘It wasn't a job for him’! He then commenced fulltime employment on the family farm in 1949, when he worked his first harvest with his father and older brother. After his brother left the farm in 1953, Barry continued to work with his father, and following his father’s passing, Barry took on the bulk of the farming duties himself, harvesting the grain and carting it to town for delivery to CBH, always managing on his own without ever hiring outside help. His wife was a steady support, stepping in whenever needed.

75 years in the making 

For 75 years, Barry has carted grain to the CBH site in Wickepin, a task that has seen significant changes in both equipment and technology. Stefie shared one of Barry’s stories about the early days and how grain was carted in 3-bushel bags and unloaded by hand. “Barry often spoke about how bags were filled and then stacked on the truck, either open or tied with a string. The bags were weighed and then tipped into the elevator to get stored in the silos. It was generally a two-man job, to make things quicker. And if someone turned up in their truck alone, it was generally good courtesy, that the person queued in the truck behind helped the lonesome truck driver unload his bags.

Barry often recalls in those days the receival site in Wickepin was all alongside the railway line in the townsite itself, stretching along the main street. Barry has always carted his grain to Wickepin, with the odd deliveries to Nomans Lake, Yealering, Pingelly and Cuballing over the years,” said Stefie.

Image: Wickepin 1985

An original Jack of all trades

By the mid-1950s, Barry purchased a Bedford truck and constructed a bin to go on it so he could cart bulk grain to Wickepin. The next upgrade was to the harvester. When Barry first started, harvest was done with a tractor and harvester attached, which made it a two-person job, one to drive the tractor and the other operated the harvester. Barry was usually the tractor driver, while his father operated the harvester.

When a new tractor and harvester was purchased, Barry set it up with hydraulics, so the harvester could be operated by the tractor driver, therefore turning a two-man job into one that could be done by one person. This harvester did not have a bulk auger attached to it, so instead an auger was set up in the paddock next to the truck. When the bin on the harvester was full, Barry would pull up at the auger and empty the harvester bin into the hopper, then auger into the truck. This set up had to be moved along the paddock. The next header he purchased had a grain auger attached and he was now able to empty directly into the truck, later upgrading to more advanced harvesting equipment, including a self-propelled header in the 1970s.

Barry vs. Technology: conquering the CDF App, one tablet at a time

In the 1980s, Barry’s son, Michael, joined him on the farm after completing his schooling. Since then, the father and son have worked side by side, with Barry gradually handing over more of the responsibilities to Michael. Now, in his 75th harvest, Barry has been carting grain to CBH for the entire duration of his farming career.

The farming process has certainly evolved over the years, but Barry’s dedication has never wavered. He’s seen it all—from labouring alongside family members to working with modern technology. One of the biggest challenges he’s faced in recent years was the introduction of the CDF App. While technology was never part of his routine, Barry accepted the challenge and learnt how to use a tablet to complete delivery dockets. With support from the friendly employees at the sampling shed and weighbridge, Barry has persevered and finds joy in his chats with the CBH employees.

Retirement is simply not an option!

This harvest, Barry has mainly focused on carting canola, leaving the barley and wheat deliveries to contractors. Despite the physical toll of years spent behind the wheel, Barry still enjoys the daily tasks of farming. His dedication has earned him a remarkable reputation. He has set his own record over when he achieved the feat of delivering 10 loads of wheat in a single day, totaling over 200 tonnes.

When asked about retirement, Stefie said Barry’s response is simple: “Why would I do that? I’d get bored. I’d rather have something to do.” His unwavering passion for the farm and the work he does is an inspiring reminder of the dedication that has shaped the legacy of Oaklands for over a century but also to the Western Australian agricultural industry.

Barry Green’s 75th harvest is not just a personal achievement, but a testament to a lifetime of dedication and hard work that spans over seven decades. His unwavering commitment to the farm, his family, and the local community is an extraordinary legacy. From hauling grain in the early days by hand to adapting to the challenges of modern technology, Barry has embraced every change while maintaining his deep-rooted connection to the land. As he celebrates this remarkable milestone, Barry’s story serves as a powerful reminder of the hard work and resilience that has shaped not only his own life but also the farming traditions of Western Australia.

At 89 years old, Barry’s journey continues to inspire, proving that for him, retirement is simply not an option—he is living proof that a life spent doing what you love is the greatest achievement of all.