MICHAEL Felber, Badgingarra, has done his bit towards a record WA harvest - driving a header for the Whiting family, at Munglinup and helping to bring in their 5500-hectare canola and wheat crops.
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The family started on November 6, finished in the paddocks on December 21 and were expecting to deliver their last grain into the CBH Group system on Tuesday this week.
Their efforts have helped contribute to a record-setting season in WA - with the CBH Group having 21.715 million tonnes in its bins as of Monday morning.
Last Thursday afternoon, CBH broke its own highest-ever result last year of 21.3mt, putting WA well on track to an overall estimated 24.75mt for the 2022/23 growing season.
Mr Whiting said it had been a "good, average" result for the family in terms of yield - which was an amazing outcome given the 860 millimetres of rain which fell over the growing season - and which meant bogging and wet grain were big issues this year.
"Last year we had a terrific year, it was probably our best year on record - it was a ripper,'' Mr Whiting said.
"But this one has probably been the most trying harvest in 37 or 38 years of being at Munglinup.
"It was so wet, it is amazing we grew anything on it.
"We should have been growing rice - probably."
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Though the excess rain meant some of the last wheat went to feed, Mr Whiting said most of the crop had held up pretty well.
With the last of the grain dried onfarm on Monday this week and due to be delivered on Tuesday, the family was looking forward to celebrating this week.
"There's nothing to whinge about and it's good enough to do it again next year,'' Mr Whiting said.
