We Feed The UK – The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre, UK

There are more living beings in one teaspoon of healthy soil than there are people in the world: restoring this diversity is the secret to a resilient future for farming
(We Feed The UK)

Incentivised by the increasing cost of artificial fertiliser, Northumbrian farmer Stuart Johnson started to naturally restore the soil on his family farm. By brewing up compost teas, introducing mob grazing and planting over 250 in-field trees, Stuart reduced the chemicals, and his costs, by 90% and won Soil Farmer of the Year 2023.

Unearthed: Soil Restoration in Northumberland features photography by Johannah Churchill, who has observed both macro and micro farm life at West Wharmley Farm for the past twelve months.   She includes two series in this exhibition:

Down to Earth documents farming and family life and the ongoing care for worlds both above and below ground.

In Constellations, Churchill photographs specimens from the natural world. Scanographs and microscopic images celebrate the overlooked magic of soil: worms, “weeds” and waste that are so essential to restoring soil health at West Wharmley and beyond.

The exhibition includes a new poem by Kate Fox, The Soil Speaks, inspired by the regenerative practices at the farm.

Churchill was commissioned by We Feed The UK, a national storytelling campaign connecting photographers and poets with our most inspiring food producers, to raise public awareness of their positive solutions to climate change, wildlife recovery and social justice. The commission was produced with NEPN at the University of Sunderland and is presented in partnership with The Sill.

With thanks to:
The Johnson and Furlong families; Michael Daglish; Northern Centre of Photography and Glass & Ceramics staff at University of Sunderland; Tyne Rivers Trust; Stuart Ramm.

Johannah Churchill is a portrait and documentary photographer based in the northeast. Her work centres around people and social issues – care, connection and health are frequently referenced and often interwoven with her history as a nurse.  Churchill’s work has been exhibited and published widely and is held in collections including the National Portrait Gallery.  Johannah is a Lecturer of Contemporary Photography at Northern Centre of Photography, University of Sunderland.

Kate Fox is a poet, spoken word artist and broadcaster. A regular on BBC Radio 3’s The Verb, she’s made two comedy series for Radio 4, been Poet in Residence for Glastonbury Festival and completed a PhD in stand-up comedy.  

We Feed The UK is a national storytelling campaign, grown by The Gaia Foundation with over 40 arts and environment partners, pairing award-winning photographers and poets with custodians of soil, sea and seed. Through ten unique collaborations, We Feed The UK is a hopeful celebration of the inspiring food producers who are sowing grassroots change.  Explore all the stories at wefeedtheuk.org.

NEPN (North East Photography Network) is an initiative of University of Sunderland, established in 2009 to develop opportunities for the creation and exhibition of new photographic work, supporting individual photographers and the wider community of practice.

Nature North, Environment Partner for Unearthed, is a cross-sector collaboration of organisations and businesses working for nature recovery in the north. Their ambitious plans to draw investment are inspired by the vision of a thriving environment where nature is acknowledged by policy makers, the public and businesses as key to the prosperity, wellbeing and resilience of communities. You can join the Nature North Community, and add your voice to the nature recovery debate, at naturenorth.org.uk/join-the-nature-north-community.