Bio Technology at Mezzacello
I take Bio Technology very seriously here at Mezzacello Urban Farm. This page is an introduction to all of the Bio Technology at Mezzacello. BioTech at the heart of my mission to grow, maintain, sustain and explain.
Grow, Maintain, Sustain, Explain
“From classes to workshops, to camps and off site visits — it is my goal to explain the beauty of natural and technology collaborations to everyone.”
I use technology and biological resources (including air, energy, minerals, water, life, and death) to grow food, programs and people. This is a farm, but it is also a learning lab for applied STEM and a test center for emerging technology and traditional renewables and permaculture systems. It just happens to be in the heart of downtown Columbus.
I use biotech to maintain Mezzacello Urban Farm and make it productive and healthy. Many of the biotech systems at Mezzacello are fully or partially automated. From renewable energy systems to compost creation and even irrigation is handled through automated systems or via permaculture solutions.
I sustain Mezzacello Urban Farm’s resources, systems, livestock, gardens, indigenous wildlife, flora and fauna - as well as it’s water and sunlight as well as its ecologies with technology and life. As a rule I keep Mezzacello Urban Farm’s sustainability matrix to a 3:8+ level of investment. For every 3 things I must provide, 8 or more other benefits should arise, and often those 3 things are already coming FROM Mezzacello’s bounty.
Lastly, I use biotech to explain how these systems work and I am grateful for the miracle of life that emerges from the thoughtful application of technology and traditional agriculture. Add a dash of creativity and wonder and Voila! a 21st Century Urban Farm is born! From classes to workshops, to camps and off site visits — it is my goal to explain the beauty of natural and technology collaborations to everyone.
BioReactor
Wind and Solar, a Weather Station, 1,000L of water under 4PSI, storage for accelerants, 1,000L of automated compost production, and a spigot at the base to recapture compost tea.
What Is It?
A 3.2m tall by 1m square steel and plastic tower located at the heart of Mezzacello Urban Farm. The BioReactor is an automated compost generator and water collection and pressurization system that we use to convert raw materials and additives into compost and biosynthetic fertilizers. The bioreactor also collects and pressurizes rainwater to use as irrigation for the potager and herb gardens and as a resource backup. The bioreactor has it’s own 5G wireless system, weather system, power generation system, and onboard controls.
The Bioreactor system provides a steady stream of compost, fertilizers, water, power, weather and atmospheric data, and communications systems to the urban farm. The bioreactor can generate 9,000L of compost in a 7 month period, and in 2024 it collected 10,000L of water from every outbuilding and the main house here at Mezzacello. The power generation systems created 40% of the power requirements for the system. The Bioreactor produced 300L of “Eden’s Ghost” fertilizer from the accelerant matrix drained from the system and 34 100L “BioBrick” fertilizer blocks.
BioFilter
The biofilter disassembled to show the interplay between water, algae, separation, and UV sterilization.
What Is It?
A series of connected pumps and filters that convert solar and wind-derived energy (with a grid-tied backup), a filtration system for the 6,800L koi and catfish pond at Mezzacello. The system circulates pond water into the Biofilter system where it pulls out algae and pollutants, and exposes the water stream to beneficial bacteria in a swirling chamber. It then moves the water to a UV radiation chamber before returning the water stream to the top of a four-level bakki shower loaded with ceramic bits designed to aerate and break water from nitrites and nitrates. The returning water is 96% pure.
In 2024, the Biofilter created 60 kg of dried algae “BioBlocks” fertilizer and 200L of “FinTastic Fertilizer” product. The water plants on the surface of the pond become part of the Nitrogen green in compost, and feed for the ducks as a source of Niacin and as a fish hatchery to sustain the population of koi.
BioDome
The Biodome is designed to function as a double-barrier wall in late fall and winter, and an open format with chicken wire to raise and care for animals and bioproducts.
What Is It?
The Biodome is a complete four-season system for growing plants, raising animals, and serving as a biological training station for kids to explore the interface between technology and livestock. The biodome is a series of steel geodesic climbing domes that is 2
The biodome is self-supported in terms of water access, power production, and shade and heating through the seasons. The solar panels produce enough energy to recharge the two LiFEPO4 battery backups that serve to heat the biodome and provide light in winter.
BioChemistry
Building a batch of Eden’s Ghost from sustainably derived products to make glucose, ammonia, and mychorrhysome beer to expedite compost generation.
What Is It?
The BioChemistry pathway here at Mezzacello Urban Farm is integrated into multiple biosystems here at Mezzacello. One effective and surprising use of biochemistry is the use of beer and wine making technology to create alcohols and ethanols that microbes and yeast need. This synthesis happens in and around the Biotech lab.
Biochemistry is integrated almost everywhere on an urban farm. This includes compost, Eden’s Ghost, Fintastic Fertilizer, BioBlocks, and various Ammonias, and Glucose and Sucrose-based additives used in maintaining life and the gardens.
BioSynthetic Fertilizers
What Is It?
The Biosynthetics are referenced above. It’s important to me that readers understand that our program for biosynthetic fertilizers reaches out to and integrates every ecosystem at Mezzacello Urban Farm.
BioTech Lab
The Biotech lab with its own water resources and portable kitchen is an essential part of the summer camp experience at Mezzacello Urban Farm.
What Is It?
The biotech lab is another 10’x12’ Amish-built shed on a concrete slab that is used as a storage and classroom space for biology and chemistry teaching experiments. The biotech lab (lab 4) is one of the newer labs at Mezzacello Urban Farm.
Every part of the linoleum-lined lab is on wheels and or has its own water, drain, hot and cold water access, three sinks, and is powered by solar panels and a battery array. This lab also features a complete mobile kitchen on wheels.
Here we can treat and diagnose animals, create synthetic and natural fertilizers. and run chemistry and biology experiments here. It is designed to give my camps access to a kitchen without destroying our kitchen in the house. I should add that all of the equipment in this mobile kitchen was donated to Mezzacello by my swesome neighnors here in Old Towne East and King-Lincoln/Bronzeville.
BioEngineering Lab
Students in the bioengineering lab using tools, 3D printers, math, and their creativity to solve a problem on the farm.
What Is It?
This is the BioEngineering Lab at Mezzacello Urban Farm. It is another 10’x12’ Amish-built shed that houses all the engineering, CAD, 3D printing, laser cutting, robotics, data and research tools and computers, and mechanical, plumbing, and electrical engineering tools and supplies. Here students brainstorm, research, design, build and test their ideas.
Having a dedicated tool lab like thisn is essential at Mezzacello Urban Farm. The entire premise of Mezzacello is empowering students to dream, plan, and take action to solve real-world problems with the tools they have on hand. This will serve them very well as they continue to invent the future our world needs to see and solve the enormous problems they will face. And it all starts on a whiteboard and in this lab.
Mobile Bio Lab
One of the three mobile labs at Mezzacello Urban Farm
What Is It?
A mobile bio lab is a steel structure that features cages, platforms, and tools for exploring the intersection of Applied STEM and biology in any environment whether it is here at my urban farm, or a parking lot, playground, classroom, gymnasium, or in a field.
Each lab is independent and features its own power, wireless, computer, design challenges, and tools on board. These labs are perfect for conducting experiments and teaching standards-based content anywhere. They were designed and co-built by students to be useful and easily deployable.
