Time capsule project looks 100 years ahead at farming

A time capsule will capture what farming looks like today and what people think it might look like in 100 years' time.

Led by PhD students Rosy Scholes, Katie Somerville-Hall and Ellen Knight for a project called "Farming the Future", the time capsule is part of the University of Reading’s 100th birthday celebrations. 

The project, supported by The Museum of English Rural Life, will work with local schools, community groups and university staff. Everyone will be asked to share their ideas about what farming might look like in the future. These ideas could be drawings, stories, models or other creative works.

Rosy Scholes, PhD student in Sustainable Land Management and project co-lead, said: "Agriculture is at the heart of some of the biggest challenges we face, from climate change to food security. This project gives everyone a chance to share their hopes for a future we can be proud of, and helps us think about what is needed to make that future possible.We want everyone to imagine what the next 100 years might bring. Whether you're interested in new technology, protecting the environment, or feeding more people, your ideas matter. This is your chance to share your vision of farming's future and be part of something that will last a century."

Submit your ideas

Starting today (Monday, 11 August), members of the public can submit their ideas about future farming. The best entries will be put inside the time capsule along with information about farming research happening at the university today. Winners will receive book vouchers worth £20 each.

From February 2026, the time capsule team will also run workshops with university academics to help people think about farming's future. University researchers will give short talks about their work and what they think might happen next in farming.

Local secondary school students will visit the Museum of English Rural Life to learn about farming's history. They will then create their own entries for the time capsule. The time capsule will contain summaries of current farming research at the university, photos of research teams, student information, and maps of current farm trials. It will also include the winning entries from schools and the community, plus ideas from university workshops.

The project will end with a ceremony in March 2026 where the time capsule will be buried on campus, marked by a plaque.

An exhibition at the Museum of English Rural Life will display community contributions and photos from the burial ceremony. This will run from September to December 2026.

Submit your ideas via rdg.ac/farmingthefuture

Visit: Farming the Future