Family Workshop: Family Matters

Family Workshop: Family Matters

Family Workshop: Family Matters

In this Family Workshop: Family Matters, we explore the role a family can play on creating a sustainable and safe community through the lens of the UN 17 Sustainable Development Goals. When we understand what the goals are, we can start looking at ecosystems and natural systems with a better outlook.

Family Workshop Benefits

  • Exploring how systems influence each other
  • Creating new ways of growing and preserving food
  • Managing animals and pollinators in a unique Technological and Natural Farm
  • Creating technology solutions to solve real-world problems
  • Encourage trust and communication, respect and belonging in your family
  • Encourage kids and families to see their value together as problem solvers!

Workshop Costs and Structures

All of Mezzacello’s Family Workshops are $100 and have a max capacity per family of four and a five family max. Each workshop offers families to either work together with Mezzacello staff to learn applied STEM and natural systems, or work in two teams! Kids vs Parents is very popular.

This camp will run Saturday, May 18, 2024 from 9:00 – 2:00. Lunch is not provided. From 1:00 – 2:00 each team will come together to teach each other what they know. This can be filmed or not. But sharing new knowledge is central to Mezzacello Urban Farm’s mission of Grow, Maintain, Sustain, and Explain.

Do you think you and your family are up for the challenge? Sign up today before this weekend workshop fills up!


Mezzacello Family Matters Workshop Form

Price: $100.00

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2023 Mezzacello Annual Report

2023 Mezzacello Annual Report

2023 Mezzacello Annual Report
Click on the Report to view a PDF

Our Mission:

Grow, Maintain, Sustain, Explain

Mezzacello Urban Farm invites students, families, and communities to learn about sustainability in a live enclosed, interrelated ecosystem lab in a densely populated urban environment. With gardens, ponds, pollinator systems, classrooms, compost, livestock, fish, insects and various bacteria, we teach about life. Our farm includes a greenhouse, power generation and water collection and purification systems, and a series of labs for research and teaching. Our focus is on hands-on applied STEM and we integrate robotics, automation, coding, and sensor systems needed to maintain a healthy, balanced homestead in the 21st Century.


Growth:

We were incorporated into a non-profit in 2021 and have been operating learning labs, tours and workshops here since then. In 2023 we saw ENORMOUS growth.

Annual Report Growth
Annual Report Financial Growth

2023 Highlights:

  • 2024 Innovations included a new BioLab for Biotech research and greenhouse use, an expanded BioEngineering Lab including 3D Printing and data analysis, and expanded power generation and renewables.
  • New for 2023 was the first iteration of my Student Leadership interns – a cadre of five well-trained and competent middle schoolers capable of teaching and leading with confidence.
  • In 2023 Mezzacello presented 6 presentation on Applied STEM innovations to the Global Innovation Field Trip and in partnership with Franklin Park Conservatory and The PAST Foundation.

Donations and Connect!

We created Mezzacello Urban Farm to make the world, or at least our local communities more innovative and sustainable. But we need your help. Please consider a donation to help us create a sustainable world.

Every dollar of your donation goes to providing equipment, resources, and scholarships, for inner-city and marginalized communities in Central Ohio to participate in Mezzacello programming. Please consider being a light in someone else’s garden.

Financials

That 10% in donations allowed 28 young people to attend camps at Mezzacello. Be a force for positive experience and change. Rick and I ourselves empowered 35 kids to join us here at Mezzacello Urban Farm. This is our first year in independent operation. 2024 holds so much more!


Please Consider Joining Us Here at Mezzacello Urban Farm!

There you can learn more about our mission, camps, workshops, research and development or to schedule a tour, donate or collaborate.

Sponsors and volunteers are welcome as well. All this can be accessed on Mezzacello.org.

Become involved in our Mission Today!

Thanks to Our Generous 2023 Sponsors and Partners!


The Foodist: Exotic Quail Egg Salad

The Foodist: Exotic Quail Egg Salad

The Foodist: Spinach, Artichoke, and Quail Egg Salad

This salad is a surprising and savory delight! The Foodist: Exotic Quail Egg Salad and for a fun surprise add hot bacon or hot bacon dressing. Hearty and very good spring through winter.

Adapted from a recipe by Beth Sexton Stryker published Bon Appétit (May 1992). We made some changes and added the quail eggs. Those quail are laying dozens of eggs a week!

Ingredients

Salad

  • 4 cups stemmed fresh spinach (one 10 oz bag)
  • 1 can artichokes
  • 6 slices of bacon
  • 12 quail eggs, boiled
  • Salt and crack pepper

Salad Dressing

  • 1 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup chopped shallot
  • 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

  1. Prepare and wash the spinach and drain artichokes. Mix the salad in a stainless salad bowl.
  2. Cook bacon to a crispy texture, drain, pat clear, and crumble. Add bacon to the salad. Preserve the bacon grease.
  3. Combine the dressing ingredients and whisk sharply and reserve to the side in a bowl.
  4. Serve the salad and top with the vinaigrette.
  5. Heat vinaigrette, if desired.

Options

Use the reserved bacon grease to wilt the spinach for a hearty and warm salad for winter. See the poached duck egg and wilted green salad here. The extra dressing can be used with boiled potatoes or steamed green vegetables to make an instant salad later in the week. Of course, this salad is easily converted to a vegetarian option by omitting bacon.

This salad is a crowd pleaser. It can be modified in a variety of different ways. Wilted, served as an appetizer on crackers, or turned into a minestrone, there are options!


Revisiting the Chicken/Duck Run in 2024

Revisiting the Chicken/Duck Run in 2024

Ah, the poultry run between the livestock shed and the energy generation shed! What a delight it is. I think it’s time for revisiting the chicken/duck run in 2024.

Why Revisit?

Well there are two main reasons I need to modify this system. The first being that when it works, it’s great, but when it doesn’t – like in the winter – it’s bad. The second is that it is labor and resource heavy to maintain it with satisfactory sanitation.

The issue is the rubber horse mattes. They are terrific and are required by law in my City. They are easy to clean, impermeable and long-lasting. The weakness is that I cannot adequately collect the manure runoff in a sustainable way for long before they clog or at all in the winter.

I was beginning to think that I had to modify the understructure of the mattes in a way that allows for chickens and ducks to have more natural materials beneath their feet. Secondly, I need a system that will manage manure in a way that does not back up. I found my solution from an unlikely source.

Paris or Bust

My original proof of concept was the redesigned 19th Century sewers of Paris. Allow water and waste to flow through channels and down into a main sewer where I could treat wastes with diatomaceous earth and UV radiation to cure the hot, acidic manure in a covered cistern. Then I could reuse the manure as a potent nutrient resource.

Alas, my sewers were under-designed and would clog easily. Even an 8″ diameter pipe and grated sumps placed strategically around the run were insufficient. In order for the system to work, I needed to engineer a 30cm (18″) drop which meant a cistern five feet deep.

Obviously that is a lot of work. It would also be a pain to empty. It does not work well in winter either.

Tour of The Livestock Sheds

Clean and functional poultry run

Dysfunctional Run in winter

The bioPath to the north of the poultry run and the manure collection cistern

Leave It To The Kids

Because this BioTechnology Summer Camp is an applied STEM summer camp, the team also came up with a series of solutions to the messy wastes and backup problem. Scrap it. Create a hybrid system that benefits animals and humans.

Team Duck, Mezzacello BioTechnology Camp Students

I have known this was a brewing issue for a while now. After two winters I can see the many flaws in my plan. But it was my BioTechnology Summer Camp Kids that really drove the point home.

In a section of the camp called sustainable habitats, one team of kids ran a meticulous review of the run and readily identified these issues. I was very proud of them.

Because this BioTechnology Summer Camp is an applied STEM summer camp, the team also came up with a series of solutions to the messy wastes and backup problem. Scrap it. Create a hybrid system that benefits animals and humans.

Listen To The Kids

Their suggestion was to install long French Drains located at the matte edges beneath the mattes. This would allow a small gap covered in hardware cloth to let water and wastes drop in and flow. They encouraged me to seal the south ends end to prevent rodents. They encouraged me to cover the rubber horse mattes with river rock to allow the manure and to percolate down and stay clean at the same time.

The drains would empty straight into a single 25cm (10″) deep, 8″ trough with a grate over at the run side of the walkway. Lastly, I am impressed that they recognized quickly the three major flaws with my existing system. I was quite surprised when they delivered their analysis.

I actually think this analysis the kids did is quite genius. One of them even drew what they thought the biggest problem with the system was: Too many 90 degree turns in the pipes. That had never occurred to me, but I see now that they were absolutely correct.

Their calculations showed that this stone hybrid interface would require .5 cubic meters (7.2 cubic yards) of river rock to achieve. The french drains would stretch north to south beneath the mattes and I could repurpose the existing sewer into a straight run in the walkway with a 10cm drop at the east end. The run drains to the north towards the walkway so this makes great sense.

This straight run and the smooth drains with steeper runs and no turns or wells to clog will allow me to clear wastes and recycle them easier – even in winter. The stones will keep the birds healthier and control the mess. The entire system will be far more sustainable and sanitary.

My BioTechnology design cohort!

I will keep you posted on the progress. Follow me if you have a coop and want to see the CAD plans and the before and after. If nothing else, show this to your kids to remind them that kids are the future, and a bit of Applied STEM goes a LONG way!


Mezzacello Zoo Brew Adventures 2023

Mezzacello Zoo Brew Adventures 2023

Well, now what do I do? Earlier this year I was gifted 25 cubic yards of Columbus Zoo and Aquariums manure called Zoo Brew. This is the story of Mezzacello Zoo Brew Adventures 2023.

Why So Much?

The truth is, 25 Cubic Yards is what Price Organic Farms proposed to me originally. I knew instinctively that that amount was FAR too much. But I knew I could spread 10 Cubic Yards around quite easily.

So I turned to the data. I have 45 growing beds and permaculture installations at Mezzacello. Once I started mapping out area and volume, that amount of manure disappeared quite quickly. It also meant that I had to move that mountain myself.

A Diagrammatic Map of Mezzacello Urban Farm with every system in place.
These Areas are the growing and garden beds at Mezzacello Urban Farm.

Once I started looking at Mezzacello to scale in CAD, I knew I was right. I was going to need at least 10 Cubic yards of manure and compost for all of the growing systems I have at this modest farm. This includes all of the farm febs and raised beds, hedges, and permaculture formal garden, parterre, and allee beds as well.

Yes, it’s a big pile of refined poop. Yes, it smells like elephants, zebras, and giraffes. As soon as this pissy gray late fall drizzle weather passes, I’ll begin moving this mountain.


Glyphosate and The Hormone Regulation Mystery

Glyphosate and The Hormone Regulation Mystery

Glyphosate and The Hormone Regulation Mystery

Last year, I and several of my colleagues began noticing that our egg productionn standards had begun to drop precipitously. We began to suspect that it may have something to do with feed tainted with Glyphosate-Resistant grains. We began to explore Glyphosate and the hormone regulation mystery.

This blogpost contains data and discussion of Genetically Modified Organisms and Genetically Engineered Grains.

The Science and the Doubts

Causation does not imply correlation. This is true. There is a lot of research on the efficacy and safety of GMOs. But there is NOT a lot of solid research on the effects of Genetically Modified Glyphosate-Resistant Feed Corn and Wheat products on animals and livestock.


Given glyphosate can kill commensal members of the microbiome like Lactobacillus spp., Ruminococaeae and Butyricoccus spp., resulting in reductions in key microbial metabolites that act through the gut-brain-microbiome axis including indoles, L-glutamate and SCFAs.

NIH Research


What I and my colleagues – across the United States – were noticing was that our egg production rates were plummeting for some unexplained reason. It was anecdotal, sure, but we realized quickly that all of us were using feed grain from big box farm supply stores. But those of us using special grains or their own feed were not experiencing egg production issues.

The Shikimate Pathway and Soil Modifications

The herbicide glyphosate inhibits the shikimate pathway of the synthesis of amino acids such as phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan. Unsurprisingly, you’ll find all three of these key amino acids are requirements for both hormone regulation and calcium synthesis for eggshell production.

What is missing is a complete understanding of how this process plays out in Genetically Modified Crops. Yes, there are some crops that allow them to escape the impacts of the shikimate pathway. But it is not the most efficient pathway.

The most common way that Glyphosate Resistance is engineered into crops is through engineered alternative pathways in soy, corn, wheat, and cotton that protects the plant from disruptions in the shikimate pathway. This genetically engineered crop has the benefit of making the plant Glyphosate Resistant. In doing this though it has dire impacts on the ability for a key bacteria to survive intact.

This bacteria is none other than Lactobacillus Acidophilus and related species. This particular bacteria plays a VERY important role in the mammalian and avian biome. It is absolutely vital to proper digestion, immunity, and hormonal regulation.

Glyphosate Is Everywhere

It [Glyphosate] exacerbates the issue we are addressing here; The impact on the egg cycle of My poultry livestock by genetically engineered grains.

Jim Bruner

Now you know that one of the integrated pathways of a plant to become immune to Glyphosate’s destruction was to engineer a new biological catastrophe. This is to cause a major disruption in a very beneficial and universally common bacteria, you and all vertebrates use to digest food. This is sadly the truth.

No matter where we turn, we cannot avoid Glyphosate and its extended and integrated impacts. It is a scourge to people with Glyphosate sensitivity. Genetically Engineered Glyphosate crops and their soil additives are creating the unintended consequence of Glyphosate-resistant weeds.

These “super weeds” are a bigger problem, because to combat them, agriculture needs to use even more Glyphosate to accommodate. It exacerbates the issue we are addressing here; The impact on the egg cycle of My poultry livestock by genetically engineered grains.


Mezzacello and the Impact on Health Careers

Mezzacello and the Impact on Health Careers

Mezzacello Urban Farm‘s mission is simple: Grow, Maintain, Sustain, Explain. I spend a great deal of willing energy and time reaching out to the community. We are talking about Mezzacello and the Impact on Health Careers.

We also do a great deal of outreach.

Jim Bruner

Careers Are Dreams Disguised as Work You Love

Our goal at Mezzacello is to change the world with our mission. We do this through career exploration and applied STEM experiences. We also do a great deal of outreach.

To a kid (I remember) careers are dreams that have yet to come true. The most important part of dreaming about a career is gathering the necessary skills to make that dream a reality. I have talked about that before.

Building a career also takes getting to know yourself! What you love, what you can do and where your boundaries are. It’s a journey of honest self-reflection.

noun
openness or susceptibility to attack or harm:
We need to develop bold policies that will reduce the vulnerability of farmers to drought and floods.

willingness to show emotion or to allow one’s weaknesses to be seen or known; willingness to risk being emotionally hurt:
The foundation for open communication consists of honesty, trust, and vulnerability.

Webster’s Dictionary

When I present in public it is always to a hope, a dream, a goal for a better future. There is promise in every interaction and story. But we have to be willing to be honest and vulnerable.

If it is true, and I think that it is, that careers are dreams disguised as work you love, we have to be willing to be honest, scared, and brave. A new future requires courage and genius. Genius requires trust and experience.

I know I have more to give in this area. I believe in the power of dreams and young people to dream big. I long to be part of their journey.


Goofy Smiles and Grandkids

Goofy Smiles and Grandkids

Goofy Smiles and Grandkids

I guess it was not until after this latest visit to see the family that I realized we have Goofy Smiles and Grandkids. Every picture, I am genuinely excited and happy to see them. Every time.

More Smiles

It was a really good visit to see the families. Everyone is healthy and happy and growing up. It was a surprise to us that Cora was raising chickens!

Rick once again got to be the most charming granddad ever. I love how gentle he is with the kids. Patient and kind and wise too.

We also were treated to an impromptu concert by Lydia and Elizabeth! Then we got to take Lydia and Elizabeth to see their piano teacher play in an ensemble recital with two other world-class musicians. It was lovely!


The Foodist: Scotched Quail Eggs

The Foodist: Scotched Quail Eggs

The Foodist: Scotched Quail Eggs

This was a surprise and a delight, The Foodist: Scotched Quail Eggs! In 2023 we started keeping quail to supplement the ecosystems of the chickens and the ducks at Mezzacello. The quail eat similar foods, but their manure is a different consistency and contains more unique minerals.

In addition to the fabulous and interesting biome enhancements, we also get really cool little quail eggs! It’s been fun making omelettes, quiches, and deserts with these funny little eggs. Rick decided to scoth them and this was great!

INGREDIENTS

  • 18 quail eggs
  • 1/2 pound ground beef or loose sausage

    • Optional
    • 1 tablespoon prepared English mustard
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
    • 1/2 packed teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

  • 2 chicken eggs
  • Flour
  • Bread crumbs
  • Chives
  • Oil for frying

DIRECTIONS

  1. Bring a pot of water to a hard boil. In 3 batches, boil the quail eggs for exactly 1 minute and 50 seconds. Immediately rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.
  2. Gently peel the eggs, removing the shell and the thin inner shell lining.

    • This is a little tricky if you have never worked with quail eggs before, and I lost 2 or 3 eggs before getting the hang of it.
    • Break the shell all around the egg first, then start at the top, making sure to grab hold of the inner lining as well as the shell.
    • Then work in a spiral around the egg, pulling off the entire shell in one continuous strip.

  3. Beat the 2 chicken eggs to form an egg wash, and prepare your breading station with a plate of flour, a plate of egg wash, and a plate of breadcrumbs.
  4. Roll out the beef or sausage very thin and lightly salt. If seasoning add 1 tablespoon prepared English mustard, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/2 packed teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg in a medium bowl. Fold and mix until combined.
  5. Lightly flour the egg. Wrap in a thin layer of meat and press into your hand in an effort to seal the meat all around the egg. Don’t press too hard or you will break the yolk!
  6. When the meat is sealed around the egg, lightly flour it and roll it around in your hands again, using the flour coating to help seal everything shut.
  7. Lightly dust with flour again, then coat in egg, and finally the breadcrumbs.
  8. Deep fry at 350°F for about 2 minutes until the breadcrumbs are nicely browned.
  9. Garnish with chives and serve.

SAUCE

  • A simple sauce consists of 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 3 tablespoons stone-ground mustard, juice of 1 lemon. I like using horseradish. Add to horseradish to taste.

NOTE:

  • Keep the egg shells! Broil them in an oven and crush them. Return them to the quail or chickens as a ready source of calcium! Or use them in your plants to make strong stems or in your compost!

BioDome Curriculum Design

BioDome Curriculum Design

BioDome Curriculum Design

Meet my charming assistant helping me to create my BioDome curriculum design. Lydia and I were convinced that my instincts to teach the basic geometry of the BioDome could be mastered with straws, pipe cleaners and ONE hour of time. It was a success and I am very proud of us.

Geometry and Magic

The really cool thing about this project is that we were working on two DIFFERENT goals! I wanted to discover the bare minimum of materials to build a BioDome in under an hour. Lydia was exploring how big she needed to make the BioDome to hold an Aftrican Leopard Lizard.

Regardless, We both achieved our goals. The dome takes 50 straws and 25 pipe cleaners. The ratio of the lengths is also a geometric function.

The hardest part was prepping the straws’ lengths and cutting the pipe cleaners. If that can be managed the time to build will be 15 minutes. Then we can add an art component by deciding how we cover it!

Relevance and Function

The relevance of Lydia’s mission made it much easier and fun to build this dome. She immediately knew she would need a larger dome to get more space between the top of the dome and the heat lamp. We also agreed it made more sense to 3D print the hubs so we could use any material!

I am really looking forward to testing out this curriculum with a workshop or two at Mezzacello Urban Farm. Many thanks to the City of Columbus Parks and Recreation and the Garden Conservancy of New York for their generous donations and grants that made this research possible!