Gareth Shapiro comes from countless generations of proud non-farmers on both sides of his family. Through the good fortune of ‘marrying up’ into a farming family, he was given the opportunity to share-farm with his partner, Tonia, on her parents’ dairy farm in Tasmania.

Over the past 13 years, this opportunity has allowed them to make mistakes, learn at their own pace and find their feet in farming without taking on significant debt.

Together, they established The Grain Family, a small-scale certified organic farming business growing a diverse range of grains, pulses and seeds. Their produce is also transformed into freshly stoneground wholegrain flour, rolled grains and other staple foods, supplying primarily the local Tasmanian market.

Growing staple foods is at the heart of Gareth’s approach to farming, although he jokes about how long he could survive on truffle and saffron-infused wasabi peas with a Tasmanian single malt chaser.

Rather than farming thousands of hectares, Gareth and Tonia focus on growing quality organic produce across tens of hectares, championing healthy soils, sustainable farming practices and a more localised food system.

While this approach may not make them particularly wealthy, it provides a sustainable and rewarding way of life. And Gareth wouldn’t have it any other way.