Designing a print publication that highlights independent farmers championing sustainable, innovative practices.
Soil Association
Working with Soil Association to create the design and illustrations for the Innovative Farmers Field Journal.
Bex Tyers, Soil Association Farming Communications Officer
“Ed is a great communicator. The finished product is exactly what we were hoping for.”
The brief
- Soil Association is one of the biggest UK-based charities dedicated to organic farming and sustainable food production.
- They brought me on board to design the Innovative Farmers Field Journal, an annual publication highlighting independent farmers pushing the boundaries of sustainable agriculture.
The idea
- I designed a map to showcase Field Labs across the UK, featuring spot illustrations to highlight the network of farmers and growers conducting on-farm trials.
- The infographic showcases the project's nationwide impact, combining icons and data visuals to communicate key achievements clearly and effectively.
- I created a series of playful, engaging illustrations of nature-friendly farming practices, which brought the pages to life whilst communicating some of the work in the field.
The result
- The Field Journals were sustainably printed in high volumes and distributed nationwide, helping to expand their reach and share farmer-led research, and innovative projects within their network and beyond.
- The Soil Association was so pleased with the first publication that they reused the template and illustrations the following year - a testament to the success and impact of the design.
Circling back to the soil
The project kicked off during growing season, allowing me to move between the design studio and the allotment, immersing myself in seeds and soil to fuel my inspiration.
Maps & infographics
The infographics combine icons and data visuals to communicate key achievements effectively, whilst the map integrates spot illustration to highlight the nationwide network of Innovative Farmers in the UK.
The illustrations
I created a series of playful, engaging illustrations of nature-friendly farming practices, which brought the pages to life whilst communicating some of the work in the field.
The result
Sustainably printed in high volumes and distributed nationwide, the printed journals continue to expand the reach of the innovative farmer-led projects via the Soil Association network and beyond.
