Stuart's farm in Northumberland, which is undergoing a process of soil restoration and regeneration

Unearthed: Soil Restoration in Northumberland: The Exhibition

National Landscape Discovery Centre, Military Road, Bardon Mill, Hexham, NE47 7AN

9 November 2024 – 12 January 2025

Free event

The seventh story from We Feed The UK features photography by Johannah Churchill, exhibited in Northumberland, near the regenerative farm she has documented.

We commissioned Churchill to dig into the journey of Stuart Johnson, Soil Farmer of the Year 2023. Stu started to naturally regenerate the soil on his family farm by brewing compost teas, introducing mob grazing and teaming up with earthworms. He is clear about the economic impetus for change, driven by the increasing price of artificial fertilisers, but has since discovered the multifaceted benefits of soil restoration. Now, it’s the dung beetles who are really rolling in it. They have become crucial collaborators: eating waste, excreting nutrients and improving drainage.

Churchill’s beautiful images complement the powerful poetry of Kate Fox, which unearths the hidden world of soil restoration. Created in collaboration with the North East Photographers Network at the University of Sunderland, a Key Stage 2 teaching resource will also accompany this exhibition.

We are honoured to host this exhibition at The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre, a multi-award-winning building providing opportunities for everyone to connect with, and help to protect, the land.

The gallery is open between 10:00 – 16:00 daily throughout the exhibition. This is a free event, no booking needed. Simply turn up and get stuck into this inciteful example of regenerative farming in practice.

To celebrate the exhibition, we are hosting a launch party, featuring live poetry, a panel discussion between poet, photographer and farmer, and a Down to Earth walk. The event will take place at The Sill on 9 November 2024.

Frosty leaves on Stuart's farm, which is undergoing a process of soil restoration