Eaglehawk Creek Farm Produce 

Eaglehawk Creek Farm Produce is an independent, product selling farm, that was established in 2017. The owners are Chris and Geena Pettigrove and they are a Husband and Wife duo. They sell a range of different pork products and are planning to sell beef and vegetables. They don’t have employees, but they are looking into that.

Eaglehawk Creek Farm Produce is advertised by word of mouth which helps the owners indicate if their products are in high demand. The farm is right next to Eaglehawk Creek which makes it easier for their clients to find them. Its location is also close to the road, which allows families to take pictures of their sunbaking free-range pigs, who lay in the paddocks eating grass. At around August 2017, pig production started to drop, so the sale yards and abattoirs who dress the pigs started to close down due to lack of finances.

Chris and Geena were then left with a lot of pigs. Seeing the yards for the pigs were closed, they decided to butcher the pigs themselves, which would cost them a large sum of money. Therefore Mr and Mrs Pettigrove decided to use the money from their previous business to make the business Eaglehawk Creek Farm Produce.

One of the biggest challenges for the new business was the drought in 2018 as the rainfall was 11% below average, so they had to find a cheaper way to feed the pigs, which later on resulted in getting scraps from farms and restaurants. Other challenges for the Pettigrove family was, keeping the meat fresh in the fridge for if it spoiled, they would lose some of their income.

Earlier this year, they started going to markets to increase the popularity of their food. However, they did not have a cool room for the markets. But luckily they received a grant from the $2 million Artisanal Sector program which allowed them to buy a mobile cool room. Eaglehawk Creek Farm Produce gets sold out really quickly during Christmas time which then makes a huge waiting list for next year, the only problem for that is Geena Pettigrove has then got to estimate and increase the number of pigs they breed and prepare which costs more money every year.

When Chris and Geena came to our school I wish that I had asked them what type of business their farm is. I would also like them to come next year so we can ask what changes they have made, as their business seem so interesting to me and I hope by next year they have reached their goal.

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