They are using water from the nearby 18 Tank to water snow peas, corn, silverbeet, spinach, parsley, spring onions and herbs, but their big hope is garlic.

The market garden was initiated by Ron Newchurch, who runs a similar farm on the Yorke Peninsula and is also helping set up vegetables patches at Scotdesco and Yalata.

Mr Newchurch deals with wholesaler Rainbow Fresh in Adelaide and has connected them with the Wares.

“We had to start from scratch pretty well – make it vermin proof, wind proof,” Warevilla founder Sandy Ware said.

“The plan is to get this trial going. The buyers from Adelaide came and visited a month ago. They came back and had a look and this is how far we’ve got…

“The aim of this is to be self-sufficient. We know CDEP isn’t going to be around for the rest of our life…

“Once we know we’re successful with the trial it’ll be something we can look to as a separate business.

“We just want to show people we can do it. We’re not afraid of the hard yards.”

Some of the workers are on CDEP, another is on court-ordered community service (not in photo) and others are employed in other jobs or unemployed.

“Through TWT they’re going to get some on-job training for horticulture,” Mr Ware said.

“We prefer on-job because we need them here. That’s through TAFE…

“We just want to take every step as it comes, just do it right.

“We don’t seem to have a problem at this time. This is just a trial.”

Juliette Giangregorio from Rainbow Fresh said the cost of freight wasn’t as big a problem as people make out, considering fruit and vegetables are already imported from interstate and overseas for consumption in Adelaide.

She said the advantage for Far West growers who have water (Scotdesco and Yalata both have desalination plants) would be growing vegetables and herbs when they are out of season elsewhere.

“What I said to the communities there (is) you just need to see what you can grow here,” Ms Giangregorio said.