Commissioned by The Gaia Foundation for We Feed The UK, in partnership with NEPN and Northern Centre of Photography at University of Sunderland.
Clover fields, from Unearthed © Johannah Churchill
Clover fields, from Unearthed © Johannah Churchill
Commissioned by The Gaia Foundation for We Feed The UK, in partnership with NEPN and Northern Centre of Photography at University of Sunderland.
‘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, local 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, Stu reduced the chemicals, and his costs, by 90% and won Soil Farmer of the Year 2023.
Johannah Churchill observed both the macro and micro of farm life at West Wharmley Farm for 12 months, resulting in the creation of two series:
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.
Unearthed: Soil Restoration in Northumberland was exhibited at The Sill: Landscape Discovery Centre from 9 November 2024 – 12 January 2025.
The work is currently presented at the Royal Photographic Society, Bristol, from 3 April – 22 June 2025, in an exhibition presenting the works of all photographers and poets commissioned for We Feed The UK.
A book, published by Papadakis (June 2025) is available to pre-order HERE.
For more information on the story please visit We Feed The UK
Soil aggregates on West Wharmley Farm, from Unearthed © Johannah Churchill
Richard checking grain moisture levels, from Unearthed © Johannah Churchill
Dormant Soil, from Unearthed © Johannah Churchill
Stuart and Ginny the dog on the quad bike, from Unearthed © Johannah Churchill
Mob grazers (stabiliser cows and charolais calf), from Unearthed © Johannah Churchill
A hole in an oak tree where young Stuart used to hide acorns, from Unearthed © Johannah Churchill
Isaac and Alfie with Stuart on the farm after hours, from Unearthed © Johannah Churchill
Clover fields, from Unearthed © Johannah Churchill
Rachel feeding goats, from Unearthed © Johannah Churchill
Isaac and Kevin the chick, from Unearthed © Johannah Churchill
Rosaline’s calculator, from Unearthed © Johannah Churchill
Rosaline and her dog Jess, from Unearthed © Johannah Churchill
Curled dock, from Unearthed © Johannah Churchill
Tree Planting at West Wharmley, from Unearthed © Johannah Churchill
Frank's hands, from Unearthed © Johannah Churchill
Water pipe line, from Unearthed © Johannah Churchill
Hogweed (Constellations), from Unearthed © Johannah Churchill
Dawn at West Wharmley Farm, from Unearthed © Johannah Churchill
About We Feed The UK
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