When James Cox walks through the door of the farmhouse off the Murray Valley highway, he is stepping into a place filled with memories.
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As a child, he and his siblings spent countless hours there, including happily jumping on the bed with their grandparents on lazy mornings.
Today, that same bedroom belongs to James and his wife Dakota, a reminder of how life has come full circle.
They have added their own touches, including uncovering beautiful Murray pine floorboards, but the home's 1950s character remains. Even the property name, Rath-Annie, still greets visitors at the front gate.
James' grandfather managed the property as a mixed farming enterprise of crops, livestock and poultry.
The family's original holding once stretched from the eastern side of Cobram's showgrounds through to the highway, where Cox Park still bears the family name today.
James was never pushed towards agriculture by his parents, Ed and Sue Cox, who live and farm nearby.
The choice was entirely his, although he cannot recall ever wanting to do anything else.
Early jobs at CIF Trading, followed by contract spraying work for Peter Wilson, provided a solid grounding.
During this time, he met agronomist Dave Sutton, whose friendship and advice have been part of his journey for 18 years.
At one stage, James thought cattle might be his future, following in his father's footsteps.
Advice from Mr Sutton helped broaden his thinking and ultimately led him towards cropping.
James is quick to acknowledge the many people who have influenced his career, including experienced farmers Graham Hendy, John Bruce and Andrew Dickey, along with trusted advisers and the local businesses that have supported him along the way.
"All these people have played a role in making me who I am today, you're never going to get all the answers from one person,“ he said.
At just 21 years old, James purchased the property and began building his own business.
He started modestly, buying a tractor and spray rig and hiring other equipment as needed.
His first cropping client was local farmer Doug Wright on Sandmouth Rd, Cobram.
"I felt fantastic when I put all that in crop," he said.
As opportunities grew, so did the machinery.
Wanting a larger tractor, James found himself in one of his regular discussions with his father.
“It got to the point where Dad threw his hands up and said, 'Just go and buy it then,’ ” James said.
“’Good,' I said, 'It'll be here tomorrow’.”
That willingness to take calculated risks would become a recurring theme.
A trip to Goondiwindi in 2019 to purchase a header opened the door to contracting opportunities in Queensland.
A few years later, opportunity knocked again when an 81-year-old farmer north of Goondiwindi offered him a harvest contract.
The contract was attractive, but there was one problem.
The job required two headers and James only owned one, but he wasn't about to let that stand in the way.
Farming also teaches humility and resilience, no matter how hard you work, some things remain beyond your control.
One tough experience came during a devastating frost in 2018.
What looked like an outstanding crop capable of yielding three to four tonnes to the hectare was reduced to a fraction of that after several consecutive minus-five-degree mornings.
His only consolation was that other farmers were going through the same thing.
Weather, rising input costs, fuel and machinery prices continue to test farmers.
A header that cost around $400,000 a decade ago can now cost three times that amount.
James and Dakota enjoy setting goals and planning the next stage of their business.
Each year they choose a word to guide their focus, last year it was “efficiency,” this year it is “expansion”.
“I couldn't rate Dakota highly enough, the way she's integrated into the business and farm life has been incredible,” James said.
The arrival of their daughter Vivienne has brought a new perspective, along with weather forecasts and machinery schedules now come feed and sleep routines.
Like his own parents, James hopes she will find her own path in life, knowing she will always have their support.
Away from the farm, he enjoys fishing on the Murray River, being involved in shooting clubs and caravan trips. But farming is never far away.
"Weather forecasts still dictate plans, and harvest often means long days."
"People see you sitting in an air-conditioned cab," he said. "What they don't see is finishing at midnight and being back on a sprayer at four in the morning trying to beat a weather front."
Ironically, James calls the header cab his happy place. It's where he can think, solve problems and dream of what’s next.
Now 38, with machinery sheds towering over the farmhouse, he can hardly believe where life has taken him.
“The 21-year-old version of me would think this is pretty awesome,” he said.
Times have changed. What and how they farm is different, but for James Cox, farming is about honouring the foundations laid before him while building something worthy of passing on to the next generation.