Urbanfarming
Bats, Mice, And Rabbits The Rodents of Mezzacello
There is a bat in my house. I am certain there are many bats around my house, but this one is cold and weak and living in the pail that I use to haul water out to the chickens. Really…
The Life Cycle of an Easy Bake Oven
At Mezzacello we use everything we possibly can. Waste is worthless without purpose. This summer one of my Easy Bake Ovens (EBO) broke down and was unrepeatable. I recycled the plastic and pulled the electrical parts out and donated them…
You Shall Not Pass: Keep the Gates Closed
The livestock yard or chicken yard is an important ecosystem at Mezzacello. It’s also full of danger. The droppings, the duck water, the occasional mouse. It is a special environment and one I do not want to expand. I am…
Winter Prep: protecting outbuildings
Urban farms require sheds, barns, greenhouses, and other storage options. There simply isn’t any way to contain the mission in a postage stamp of land without getting creative in how you use and store tools and supplies. Enter the out…
Winter Prep: restoring the water table
A lot of people hate winter. I am not a fan of the mud and sludge, but winter is NECESSARY for a farm in this latitude. Tough titties. I need the cold to reset the micro flora and fauna, to…
Winter Prep: researching and learning
It’s not just the urban garden that’s resting, but our bodies as well. But while the body rests, the mind engages. At Mezzacello the mind is almost always engaged; how else are you going to change the world, right? On…
The Foodist: Truly Vegetarian Mushroom Bourguignon
This is a delicious vegetarian alternative to beef stew that will make omnivores salivate!
Applied STEM, Not a Meth House
When I tried to bronze chain in oil in our oven and discovered Applied STEM, not a meth house.
Secret Life of the Farm at Night
Mezzacello is an urban farm. We are surrounded by homes and businesses and cars. There are also a lot of transients in my neighborhood on the near East side of Columbus. It’s a fact of life. It’s still jarring when…
Free Garden Hacks
I normally try to curate my own content. But this is some free gold. So I will save a link here and come back an amend it soon. https://www.naturallivingideas.com/garden-for-free/