From Waste to Water
Using off the shelf buckets, washed sand, gravel, charcoal and was large river stone we can purify even the dirtiest water.
The Gift of the Magi
Two people share a combined passion but come at it from completely different angles, it can be interesting. So we laugh and compromise.
Next-Level Algae Collection
I have been cleaning biofilter sponges of their dried algae by hand. Today I repurposed my chicken feather plucker for algae.
Fire In The Garden
Using fire in the garden benefits ecosystems. It may be counterintuitive, but fire is more dangerous to everything but the plants and soil! I also love the image my niece drew from 2017!
The State of the Garden in Summer 2022
The gardens in late June 2022. Everything is doing well, with the exception of the biodome.
Lesson: The Circle Of Life
A core lesson on the way nature uses simple ideas, deep math, and repeating patterns to create life. We explore these patterns.
Lesson: As Above So Below
Life is a dance of balance with soil or water below, the ground barrier between and the atmosphere above. Pattern, Process, structure.
Pond Update for 2022 Part 1
Lots of new, fun stuff coming online for the aquatic ecosystem at Mezzacello. New pumps, filters, harvesting, and wetlands!
Mezzacello 2.0 Foundations
When the concrete slabs were finally poured in place and the work of rebuilding Mezzacello from scratch could finally begin.
The First Chick of 2022
Eight random eggs fertilized by a rooster and set into an automated incubator. The trick was a bath matte. I had to keep the eggs warm!
Compost Engine Update 2022
This is a quick update on the former bioreactor, now called a compost engine that i will be using for my summer camps this year.
How the Zero-Cost Hedgerow Grows
How to make a hedgerow to blocks traffic, keep your privacy and do it all from clippings. This includes tips and tricks.
Robots, Chickens, and Ducks
A photo is from 2019, before I redesigned my coop system to sanitary specs. I should be in boots, The robots have always been here.
Energy and Culture on an Urban Farm
When do you live your best life, be there for others and make space for food and life? Hard to live in this century and farm.
Update on Storage and Preservation
Food preservation is my achilles heel here at Mezzacello. This is an update on innovating my storage here over winter.
Summer Camps 2022
Summer Camps are coming back in 2022! More information and details coming soon! Sign up for the waiting list! Visit events to learn more.
Chicken TV, Coop Tech, and Safety
Poultry monitoring using remote cameras and advanced tracking software and sensors. You know a futuristic chicken coop
Notes on Infrastructure and Ponds
A photo reminds me what to do to properly winterize the pond’s bio filter system. The pond is due for a refit this spring.
Eden’s Ghost Application
The origin and use of Eden's Ghost and how I developed it with the bioreactor. This post includes directions for use and instructions.
The Formal Garden Rooms
A tour of the beauty of the formal garden rooms at Mezzacello. Waves of color, texture, and varied heights to attract and support life.