Sales at a pop-up market in Sydney's Martin Place and experiences from Buy from the Bush has made the "difference between closing down and inspiring us to continue" for a Dubbo family business.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Young Creative Farms has attracted new customers and its owners are looking forward to the future as a result of the social media phenomenon.
Angus and Ruth Young loaded up their one-of-a-kind toy farms handmade at Dubbo last week and travelled to Sydney for the Buy from the Bush pop-up market, which featured 20 rural makers.
Buy from the Bush, described by founder Grace Brennan of Warren as a "showcase of beautiful things available to buy from rural towns facing drought", has attracted more than 160,000 followers on Facebook since its launch on October 16.
Mrs Young said the pop-up market organised by Buy from the Bush highlighted their 29-year-old business to city customers, and proved to be "above and beyond" what they imagined.
They were "astounded" but happy to sell most of the 10 farms they displayed.
"It wasn't just people from Sydney - we sold a farm to a lady from Townsville, toys to a fellow from Pennsylvania and a lady from New York," Mrs Young said.
The benefits extended beyond a rise in turnover, and the duo experienced "the generosity of city people and their willingness to support the bush".
"One lady bought a bag of brand new toys for farmers in need," Mrs Young said.
"As one person commented, 'this Buy from the Bush movement is breaking down the barriers between city and country, and we are regaining our Australian identity'."
The experience came at a critical moment for the business founders who had previously faced challenges and questioned their life's work.
The pop-up market and Buy from the Bush had taken their "very low bank account" to "a now healthy one", Mrs Young said.
It convinced us our 29-year-old business makes farms that are still much loved.
- Young Creative Farms co-founder Ruth Young
But it was about more than the money.
"For us it's made the difference between closing down and inspiring us to continue to improve our production and marketing skills," she said.
"It convinced us our 29-year-old business makes farms that are still much loved."
The couple appreciated the efforts of Mrs Brennan and the team of people who pitched in to organise the pop-up market.
"We had no idea how much time and effort and hard work [was done] behind the scenes... and are so grateful for the opportunity provided by them," Mrs Young said.
Children's clothing enterprise Kennedy the Label was another rural maker appreciative of the opportunity provided by the Buy from the Bush pop-up market.
The business is run by owner and designer Annabelle Kennedy out of a home office on the family farm north of Nyngan.
"After the most incredible few days in Sydney, we have just restocked our website with the very small amount of remaining pieces," Mrs Kennedy said in a post to Facebook.
"Thank you to all who visited our store at the... Martin Place pop-up - was lovely to put faces to some of our regular clients."