Organization
Unlabeled Perils of Modern Urban Farming
Salts and other chemicals unlabeled are dangerous. This seems like it would be obvious until you face working a full-time job (that you love) and then cramming all the chores, ordering supplies online or from stores when funds are available…

Parterre Gardens, Guerrilla Gardens
In the ongoing mythology of Mezzacello the idea of a DMZ between “North and South Korea” i.e. the pretty and plentiful gardens has been a sacred one. We both of us decided we needed a neutral ground to rest and…

Preserving Eggs 1860 Style
Every summer I waste eggs that I don’t get out to people in need or I can’t eat fast enough. I collect fresh chicken and duck eggs. I bring them in to the house confident that their natural bloom will…

Feathered Exterminators, Landscapers, and Quality Control
At Mezzacello, we have a fence line that abuts the alleys to the south and west of the property. This is our front line for invasive species of vining weeds like poke, wisteria, and belladonna. I also store donated bags…

Harvest, Hunger, and the Art of Preservation
The harvesting of food is the single greatest chore in urban farming, the next greatest is preserving it!

Unsung Heroes in the Urban Farm Kitchen
Ah the plastic takeout container! These round polypropylene take out containers are essential in a modern urban garden. They are usually given to me by friends who get takeout lunch from Chinese food or dinners from better restaurants. I love…

1985 Called, They’d Like Their Garbage Disposal Back
Today the garbage disposal died. Not a quiet death but a torturous, loud, wet, sloppy, disgusting death. We discovered there was a problem we were doing dishes and we suddenly realized that we were standing in water down turn off…

Zen and the Art of Hornbeam Maintenance
A major part of the formal gardens at Mezzacello is the east west allee. The allee is defined by the 44 hornbeam trees Rick planted four years ago. It is the major visual wall of Mezzacello from the street elevation.…
