DOWN TO EARTH: RESTORING SOIL
Inspired by Wharmley Farm in Northumberland // Photography by Johannah Churchill // Poetry by Kate Fox // Exhibited with North East Photography Network at The Sill in Northumberland
Incentivised by the increasing cost of artificial fertiliser, Stuart Johnson started to naturally restore the soil on his family farm. By brewing up his own compost teas he has stopped any use of chemicals on the land, and won Soil Farmer of the Year 2023.
Stu is clear about the economic impetus for change but has been surprised by the multifaceted benefits. He may be one of the nature-friendly farmers benefitting from up to a 45% increase in commercial return (NFFN), but it’s the dung beetles who are really rolling in it. They have become crucial collaborators: eating waste, excreting nutrients and improving drainage.
In fact, there are more living beings in one teaspoon of soil than there are people on the planet. Restoring this richness is the secret to a resilient future for farming. There’s nothing a good brew can’t fix.
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