He heads to the Ashwood Children's Centre, where he is greeted by almost 40 eager Damper Creek Collective members, hungry for their weekly supply of produce.

Farmer Rod, also known as Rod May, has been supplying the local group with fresh produce every week for the past two years, in an eco-friendly program that won a Monash World Environment Day award on Thursday night.

Ashwood resident Katie Greaves founded the collective after deciding to do her bit to combat climate change.

"I had been very concerned about climate change," she said. "Protesting can leave you feeling a bit frustrated. It's a bit of a soulless experience.

"You can feel like one person struggling against big structures: big government and big business."

With a bit of help from like-minded community members, Ms Greaves got the collective up and running, and when the group struck a relationship with Mr May, things took off.

Each week about 40 people buy $30 boxes of fresh, seasonal produce, grown at Mr May's organic farm near Daylesford.

Mr May delivers the boxes himself, and stays for morning tea to meet and greet his customers.

"How many people get to have morning tea with their farmer each Saturday?

"Everyone gets to meet their own farmer. We've had reciprocal visits too. Members have gone up to the farm in Daylesford, walked around the paddocks and helped pull up the veggies.

"That's what we want: suburban children who may not have been exposed to that, who think vegetables come from the supermarket shelf, to see where their food comes from."

The group also bulk-buys grains, oil and other kitchen staples and encourages its members to do their bit for the environment - even if it means riding a bike to pick up their veggies.

While the fresh produce is the main attraction, Ms Greaves said the group had achieved much more.

"When I was new to the area I lived a fairly isolated suburban existence, where you give your neighbours a quick wave as you race by.