The transformation from big city living begins as Matthew, a novice yet determined farmer, settles into his rural haven. His visit to local Swiss goat cheese producers inspires him to make goat's milk ice cream for the upcoming Taste of Tasmania. It's a sell-out success and he's encouraged to start his own line of artisan foods.

Pork is on the menu as Matthew makes prosciutto and learns what to do with offal, and buys his own little piglets.

Swapping land for sea, Matthew and his mates embark on a fishing adventure and return in time to harvest late-ripening tomatoes.

Matthew sets up his partnership as an artisan producer at Salamanca Markets and learns some valuable lessons: long hours, hard physical work and low profit margins.

Matthew's crash course in agrarian ways finds him settling into the routine of life on the farm, but that also brings new and confronting challenges.

Matthew's farm is not yet a land of milk and honey, but in this episode he does his best for the milk component.

It’s winter and time to head off the farm for another culinary adventure, deep in the central highlands of Tasmania.

Hosting a Bastille Day lunch to showcase a range of delicacies to loyal stall patrons seems like a good idea - but it's illegal.

Baking is always a good option in winter so Matthew focuses on bread, cakes and biscuits. Matthew now grows and makes most of what he needs. except for bread.

Matthew is nearing the end of his first year on the farm and it’s time to reflect on lessons learned and to celebrate his accomplishments with old mates and new friends.

In Season 2 of Gourmet Farmer we're in for a surprise. Matthew now has his own family - partner Sadie and son Hedley, to add to his growing menagerie on the farm. It's time to get serious. He has a family to feed and a pig business to grow. To do this, he needs to build infrastructure on the farm to cope with the extra pigs, and find new ways to sell his increasing supply of pork products.

While on the North West coast of Tasmania, herding cattle across the ocean at low tide to Robbins Island, Matthew has a new business idea. The Wagyu beef that he samples here - at Hammond farm, is the best he's ever eaten. Sadly, only foreigners get to taste it. With Nick and Ross, Matthew brainstorms an idea for Long Table Lunches, where the three of them will create multiple course menus from produce sourced exclusively from the local area. As they head up to the North West coast to spend a week sourcing produce, the weather turns bad and the `paddock' lunch they envisaged is under threat. And after locating a barn as an alternative, they find they've bitten off more than they can chew and race against the clock to feed everyone before the guests get too drunk and consume all their profits. The food, however, is a standout, and guest leave contented, while Matthew, Nick and Ross conclude that it was a great - if not that profitable experience.

Matthew starts to get hard core with his locavore philosophy when he decides to learn how to make his own brew. Unfortunately, his lesson is interrupted when he finds out his beloved cow Maggie has fallen ill after giving birth to a calf. After a rough patch, Matthew picks himself up and goes out in search of wheat substitutes for his breadmaking and tries out some spelt.

Matthew reckons he's earned a break from the farm and heads off on a kayaking adventure with Ross and kayaking expert, Nick. They're resolute in insisting on packing nothing but two-minute noodles, as the Picton River is sure to supply a bounty of fish. Alas, Matthew and Ross prove to be less than naturals on the water, and the fish prove to be totally absent. Resisting the temptation to head into a fast food outlet as they're kayaks approach a small town, they call up a sushi maker who has a smarter idea for catching fish, and who prepares a spectacular meal.

Matthew and Ross receive a request from Serbian man John Jovanovic for suckling pig, while manning their Salamanca stall. The suckling pig is to be served at a Sino-Serbian New Year's feast. Matthew is intrigued and offers up a piglet in exchange for a seat at the table. He discovers that his customer is married to a Chinese woman, Janette, and that after less than satisfying Chinese New Year meals at restaurants, they now host their own.

Matthew and Ross have a stall at a new farmers' market, where you can only sell what you grow or source from providores who don't have the means to sell their own product. They see this as an opportunity to expand and try out a few new products. First is B'stilla, a Moroccan pigeon pie that they source from Phil Newton. Next, they go hunting for wallaby and rabbit - produce which is growing in plague proportions and which they can acquire at little cost. While Ross prepares wallaby pie, Matthew goes in search of a rabbit recipe from opera singer Maria Lurighi.

Matthew, Nick and Ross raise the stakes in their long table lunches business idea. This time they take nothing but salt, pepper and a bit of olive oil to an island which has got to have more protein running around it than any other piece of land in Australia.

Matthew sets out on a challenge to see if he can create a meal from wild food that’s free for the taking.

An invitation to Italy affords Matthew the opportunity to learn how to make salami the traditional way.

Matthew journeys from Italy to France to learn how the French preserve their meat products.

Matthew’s Puggle Farm is under shade and too wet for most of the year, which has hindered his farming aspirations. The experience has confirmed that he does want to pursue this farming life more seriously. Now Matthew wants to upscale.

It’s a year of experimentation and Matthew has kept chooks for eggs, but now he’d like to get heritage chickens at Puggle Farm to free range for their meat. He has also been interested in the differences between heritage chickens and free-range chickens we purchase from the supermarket… their size, colour and especially taste. He has decided to acquire some supermarket-breed chicks to free range himself and compare the taste with his heritage breed.

Matthew has been planning to build a commercial kitchen but the cost is prohibitive. Ross tells him about a caravan fitted out with a commercial kitchen that's for sale on Bruny Island. The mobile kitchen would also be great for Matthew’s other venture – making and selling foods in markets and festivals around Tasmania.

Inspired by last year's trip to France, Matthew decides to add a couple of geese to his menagerie, and while picking them up off a local farmer, he is distracted by a home-built cold smoker. One of Matthew’s visions for the new farm is to experiment with various food processes, and, inspired by the cold smoker, he wants to test new cured products and smoke them.

Matthew and Nick’s new shop venture, A Common Ground, provides many challenges: meeting demand with a varied supply of seasonal local produce; and maintaining commitment to ethically grown and prepared food whilst managing the bottom line. The shop isn't in the ideal location and a couple of new ideas are needed to increase sales.