WATERVILLE — When Graydon Painter died this July, he left his crop in good hands.

Around 60 farmers came to the Painter family farm, about 15 miles northeast of Waterville, on Sunday to finish what the fourth-generation wheat farmer started.

Twenty-eight combines, many trucks, friends and neighbors were part of Painter’s harvest bee. They managed to harvest 1,300 acres of wheat in five hours.

Jeff Davis and his wife Kathie got a bird’s eye view of the effort when they flew their plane over the harvest. “It was amazing how they coordinated that many machines at one time, it was like a choreographed dance,” Jeff says.

“The harvest bee was a great tribute, the largest I know of,” says Painter’s cousin Tony Long. “Graydon was a loved and respected member of the farming community.” He liked to play golf, and used to putt with many of the farmers who were at Sunday’s harvest.

The farmers would rather remain anonymous for their feat.

“What we did, it was nothing special,” Long says. “We would have helped anyone out, that’s just what farmers do. ”

Emily Wooldridge: 664-7154

wooldridge@wenatcheeworld.com