He balances this with growing broadscale crops for the wholesale market in Sydney.

He is now optimistic about the future and hopes his son Liam will be able to keep farming for decades to come. 

Liam Dennis, Matthew’s son, has always wanted to work on the land. 

But with the prices his dad was receiving at the wholesale markets in Sydney (they get 25 cents per pumpkin) he never thought his dream would come true.

Selling direct to customers at the market has transformed his future.

He now works alongside his father and dreams of a long career on the land.

Farming has been in Austin Breiner’s blood for as long as he can remember.

But he didn’t always spend his time on the land. He worked as a school teacher before returning to farming on land at Oakhampton near the Hunter river.

He grows a variety of vegetables and runs poultry so he and his wife Laurel can enjoy fresh eggs. 

Husband and wife duo Tom Christie and Dominique Northam run a four-acre farm in Marshdale, near Dungog.

You won’t find any mechanical equipment on their farm. They do everything by hand and say that approach is better for the environment. 

It also doesn’t make sense to use machinery when the farm is so small.

They grow a range of salad greens and vegetables, including the old world favourite pimply squash. They also grow flowers. 

The couple delved into farming in 2013 after growing up in suburbia. 

On a little hill in Mount Vincent chickens are being raised like they were in the old days.

And Ms Eaton says you can taste the difference.

Little Hill Farm mainly focuses on farming pasture-raised chicken and eggs but it also dabbles in vegetable production.