Forty Farms - Conversations about change in the landscapes of Cumbria

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It highlights independence, innovation and resilience in a post-Brexit world of declining farm subsidies, as we seek to focus on producing food closer to home, whilst balancing the drive towards net-zero, and restoring biodiversity.

Forty Farms offers a unique insight into the hopes, fears and everyday lives of 40 extraordinary farmers across Cumbria.Fell Foot Farm, Little Langdale, and ‘Lakeland Farm Visitor Centre’, Ings – Beef, education, hospitality, sheep

The first 100 books sold will include a free signed image kindly printed by photography printing specialists Fotospeed . The accompanying conversations with farmers – often frank, sometimes funny, and occasionally painful – reflect the critical issues facing farming today. In March 2021, British Life Photographer of the Year Amy Bateman embarked on a journey to record the stories of forty farms in Cumbria. Over the course of a year, Amy conducted frank conversations about the financial challenge of farming in post-Brexit Britain; the tightrope balance of producing quality food in nature-rich landscapes; and the highs and lows of working in an area internationally famed for its beauty. Image credit: Amy Bateman - Forty Farms) If you could only use one camera and lens forever, what would it be?In March 2020, British Life Photographer of the Year, and Cumbrian farmer, Amy Bateman, embarked on a journey to record the stories of Forty Farms in the Lake District and Cumbria to produce a sumptuous coffee table book. We've got 900 acres – that's a lot of land to be able to capture the landscape, farm life, farm animals, nature and food production. I get to capture the behind the scenes of farm life that people rarely experience. I know our farm inside and out, where to find the March hares when they're boxing, beautiful examples of regeneration in Juniper on our fell and time it just right to capture them in the best light. I’m attracted to slightly broken people who have a desire to get fixed.” Con O’Neill talks to Northern Soul

Nibthwaite Grange ('Dodgson Wood'), Crake Valley near Coniston – Arts & crafts, beef, sheep, tourism Hoodman Launch Pad for Drone: I really like using my drone to capture the farm and animals in a wider context of their environment. I use a Hoodman Launch Pad, which is absolutely essential to keep my drone clean, dry and safe. It protects my car when I launch off its roof and also saves me chopping down many grass blades with the propellers when launching on grass. The Hoodman pad has really helped me not have to replace my drone propellers too often. Forty Farms is a touring exhibition that comes to the South Lakes from Rheged Gallery in the north of the county. It opens on Saturday 4 March and runs until Sunday 4 June. As well as the “real” Gallery exhibition, there’s also a virtual Online Gallery, which includes exclusive images not in the book (as well as lots that are) and offers the chance to buy a range of formats and sizes for about 400 images as prints. Follow the link to find out more and for the full selection. Over the course of 12 months Amy spoke with the farmers about the financial challenge of farming; about the tightrope balance of producing quality food in a nature-rich landscape; and about the highs and lows of working in a landscape known, and loved, internationally. The Forty Farms book features contributions from author James Rebanks and L’Enclume’s Simon Rogan and veteran damson grower Harley Trotter. The book evolved into the Forty Farms exhibition.This also marks the opening of a major free exhibition at Rheged, Penrith, Cumbria, featuring the photographs I captured for the book, which will run until 4th January 2023. Forty Farms is the concept of my publisher and editor, who’s called Dave Felton, and he has a Cumbrian publishing house called Inspired by Lakeland. He approached me in November 2020 and said, ‘I’ve got an idea for a book and you’re my first choice. A photography book on farming’. You get a very well massaged ego when somebody approaches you like that. And so I said, ‘Ohhhh gosh, yes! That sounds good!’ Low Sizergh Farm (‘Low Sizergh Barn Farm Shop & Café’), Sizergh near Kendal – Dairy, horticulture, hospitality, poultry, tourism

Dalefoot Farm ('Dalefoot Composts'), Heltondale near Penrith – Compost, peatland restoration, sheep There will be times when part of the Forty Farms exhibition can’t be viewed temporarily because the learning centre is being used for an activity.The book and the exhibition are at the heart of Forty Farms but there’s lots more happening too – I’ve been a bit overwhelmed by the enthusiasm for this concept, for the images and, at the heart of it all, for the stories of Forty Farms. The exhibition is also supported by a Forty Farms Festival of talks, debates, films and creative classes, which will run from September-December, a full program diary of events will be unveiled at Rheged. Photographer Amy Bateman said: “I have tried to reflect the widest possible range of farmers engaged with the widest variety of animals, crops, landscapes, and diversifications.