Three brothers from Avenel who live and breath agriculture have grown moustaches this Movember to start more conversations about mental health among the farming community.
Brothers Jock, 26, Max, 23 and Todd Lawrence, 21, grew up on the family farm in Avenel.
As fourth generation farmers, agriculture is in the Lawrence boys' blood, and they all play their part on the family farm back home. They love agriculture but despite still being in their early 20s know that many farmers go through hardships of drought, financial stress and hard seasons, and understand the importance of farmers looking after their own mental health.
In a bid to bring his younger brothers together to help spread the word about mental health in the farming community, Jock started the team 'Mittagong Mo Bros'.
"There's not much real talk about mental health in the farming community, and in among issues like drought and tough seasons, it's something that's often put on the backburner," Jock said.
"I think because a lot of people just don't know how to talk about it, it gets put in the 'too-hard basket.
"I don't normally grow a mo, so during the month I've been getting questions like 'what is that ugly slug doing on your face?' and 'why are you growing a moustache?' It's been a good conversation starter and a chance to ask mates how they're doing."
The Lawrence brothers are putting the call out for fellow farmers to have open up and have honest conversations with their mates and families, and to understand that there is no shame in talking about mental health.
"I think there's a stigma about farmers speaking about their mental health as we're expected to be 'manly' and 'tough' and mental health doesn't traditionally fit in with that," Jock said.
"It's definitely changing, and the stigma is becoming less and less, but we need to keep pushing that change.
"Farming communities have this ability to rally around each other when times are tough, and there's so much power in that. In the same way that we'd ask a neighbour for help with a fence that has been washed out, it'd be awesome to see people reaching out when they're not feeling 100%."
Jock said that living remotely, the community of the family was important because they were around every day and had the most opportunity to check in and make sure you were okay.
"In our family, after a long day's work on the farm, the dinner table is a meeting room; it's the perfect place to be able to talk about how everyone is travelling, check in on each other and get ready for the week ahead," he said.
"That's definitely something I'd like to hear about more; farmers talking about their mental health at the dinner table, and for it to feel normal.
"Living on the land can be pretty tough, and I want to keep on encouraging them to talk about things they might be struggling with."
The Lawrence brothers were hoping to raise $2000 for Movember and men's health. Donate at moteam.co/mittagong-mo-bros
