We came up with an interesting way to talk about one of the most important figures in the history of crop rotation at the AgroLiquid IQhub. And all it took was a big box-like structure with some hands-on gear.

On one side of the display’s sloping “tabletop” is an image of a dude dressed up in full 18th century style. This dude is Charles Townshend (also known as Turnip Townshend). Beneath some informational text about this guy is a slick silver button. It’s like the painting was made specifically for us because Mr. Townshend just so happens to be pointing right at the fancy button with his finger.

At the push of this button, focused audio plays, presenting visitors with further information about Mr. Townshend and his crop rotation method. You see, Turnip Townshend encouraged farmers to plant different crops each year, alternating between grain crops (like wheat) that take nutrients out of the soil and forage crops (like turnips) that add nutrients back to the soil. That improved soil health and crop yields.

The other side of the sloping “tabletop” features a circular collage of images of four crops. These represent some of the crop varieties that farmers can plant in rotation. This circle attaches to a wheel that visitors can turn, allowing them to virtually “rotate” through the four crops.