Project INCA: The Calm Before The Storm
The Potager Garden
We are officially into the winter season 2025/2026 at Mezzacello Urban Farm. My intern Marcus and I presented to the Youth Innovation Alliance about our plans for Project INCA yesterday. Today I thought I would provide some insight on Project INCA: The Calm Before The Storm.
Preparing For Terraces
Project Innovating Nutrient Capture and Adaptation (INCA) has at it’s heart three major areas of focus:
Innovation of land use and water recapture and purification
Novel Nutrient Capture and recycling technology
Adapting existing systems and topologies to accomplish this
It’s built right there in the name. There is another majorb innovation in the way we are proceeding on building out Project INCA. That is through 3D Printing and adaptive modeling at a smaller scale, and creating camps and workshops that model real-world and full-scale methods for accomplishing this.
The first step in this transformation will take place in the potager garden. See Map, ecology 8 below. Currently the potager is set up as a four quadrant array of six beds each, 24 beds in total.
How The Terraces Will Work
The Two-tier strategy of 3D modeling, and actively building the Project INCA terraces is intentional. By modeling the terraces using moveable 3D Printed models we can determine the optimal angle for water flow that also diminishes soil erosion. We want easily maintained terraces and accessible slopes, while optimizing mineral and water distribution.
The other major innovation in Project INCA is an expansion of the use of IBC totes. We have been using IBC totes here at Mezzacello for 10+ years. They are sturdy, solid, and remarkably adaptable.
The multiple uses of IBC totes in use for Project INCA.
