In the olden days, they might have called it ‘communism’, but now it seems collective farming is all the rage in the US.

Across the state of North Carolina, some 40 small farms are supported by the community, who buy a share in the farm, and reap the vegetables that flow from it.

They take home enough fresh fruits and vegetables to feed a family of four each week from April through to the end of October.

Fred Miller makes his living off the land. Hilltop Farms in Willow Springs is a certified organic farm offering 30 varieties of vegetables. His farm is supported by 135 families in the Triangle.

"People pay in advance to join the farm and that gives them a share in the farm's produce weekly for 25 weeks through the growing season," Miller said.

Some community supported farmers give members a box of food, but Miller allows his members to select what they want on the farm or at stands in three other locations.

"What we do is pick everything that's ready, lay it out on the table like a farmer's market and allow our customers to pick out what they want," Miller said.

"I'm turning people away and we've grown 50 percent from this year to last year."

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