Central Victorian pig farmers Will Bennett and Emma Horsburgh are pioneering a new model of farming in Australia.
The couple have just made their first delivery of pork to customers using Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), a business model where customers essentially buy shares in a farm.
"We chose the CSA model because it's economically more viable and takes away a lot of the risks," Mr Bennett said.
"And it also connects us with our consumers, which is nice."
Ms Horsburgh said it was a good option for first-generation farmers who were trying to start out.
"It's much better than trying to play ball with the big supermarkets, because that's just not a viable option for a lot of people," she said.
"Farmers' markets are okay, but I think CSAs are the best way to get in the game."
Sharing risk and reward
But it is not just new farmers adopting the model.
At an organic vegetable farm just down the road, Derri-Anne and Tim Wyatt have been farming for more than a decade, and switched to CSA a year ago.
"We see it as a way for us to better establish our farm and shore up the viable income ongoing into the future," Ms Wyatt said.
"And secondly just because it really enhances our idea of how we want to relate with the people that we're feeding."
The upfront payment from customers allows them to plan ahead, and Mr Wyatt said it gave them more security.
"It means we're able to buy all the seedlings, all the things we need to produce the food, and have that money upfront," he said.
"And it's all about a mutual obligation. If for some reason a crop fails and it's not because of our own fault, they take some of that risk as well."
But in a good year, customers will receive more produce at no extra cost.
Model started in United States
The model has been running in the United States since the mid-1980s.
Melbourne University research fellow Rachel Carey said it started with just a couple of farms.
"That number grew to around 60 farms within five years. Now in the United States there are over 7,000 CSA farms around the country," she said.
"Those farms are generating over $US226 million in sales each year."
While the number of CSA farms in Australia is still relatively low, Dr Carey said the number was growing.
"It tends to be smaller-scale farmers often. They might be closer to cities and closer to a community of people who can support that farm."
But that is not the case for organic broadacre farmer Josh McIntosh, who farms in South Australia's Mallee region at Taplan.
"The real value of CSA is having a continuity of demand, rather than dribs and drabs," Mr McIntosh said.
"It makes it easier for us to plan, and if a customer can commit to that continuity of demand, then we can commit to the continuity of supply."
He believes the model will continue to grow.
"Farmers have always responded to market demand and this our response to our market's demand, so I think as that demand grows, more people will find that viable."
CSA network launches
The CSA Australia and NZ Network has just launched with 24 farms registered so far, but founder Sally Ruljancich said more were joining every week.
"Until a couple of weeks ago there was no single point of directory for all CSAs," she said.
"If we can combine as one voice we can get the message out clearer, that this is one of the best ways you can support a farming family and get to know how your food is grown."
Customer Marianne Lavell has already jumped on board the idea.
The Daylesford resident said she was happy to take a little risk with how she got the food she ate.
"We just love the whole concept of sustainable, ethical, close-by and we just really like to support, especially young businesses and new businesses," she said.
"We're very willing because we like to support and help and there's always a little risk and that's fine. I think it's a risk worth taking."
