From Grounding to Grounds:

Formal Gardens, Urban Farm, Empowering kids, Robots,
Automation, Animals, Renewable Energy and More!

Mezzacello Urban Farm Began as a backyard project in an abandoned property and quickly expanded to an applied STEM Learning Lab and Urban Farm Camp and Workshop Training Center.

Mezzacello Urban Farm is a 501(c)3 located in downtown Columbus OH. From the outside it reads as a private residence.

But we know old keys DO NOT open new doors.

Come inside and see for yourself.

We are focusing on grounding the potential in our youth.
This is our why.

Igniting a passion for learning by presenting advanced skills and concepts in an engaging and enjoyable way. Experience education like never before!

"Helping every child cultivate character and develop unwavering

We believe that all children want to be heroes, and we encourage natural engagement to foster this gift within themselves.
Kids can build their own version of the world at our farm.

Our mission and vision center around the empowerment and engagement of young people. We provide dynamic STEM and farming camps that are not only enjoyable but also foster meaningful learning.

These experiences are crucial for helping kids build confidence, discover their sense of purpose, and develop essential workforce skills and critical thinking abilities.

The primary outcome of our program is to thoroughly prepare young individuals to explore, learn, and forge their own meaning and purpose for the future—and for all of us. 

Jim Bruner, Futurist Farmer

Shameless Plug.

Shameless Plug.

Did We Mention Mezzacello Urban Farm is a Non-Profit Urban Farm and STEM R&D Lab?
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The Path to 3,031 Students on a shoestring budget

Mezzacello Columbus, LLC was launched in 2021 as Mezzacello Urban Farm after the COVID-19 lockdown.

In our first year with 24 students, we noticed many were struggling with communication and teamwork. While our STEM farming camp focused on living on Mars was exciting, students wanted the chance to grow and explore without the fear of failure.

To meet these needs, we developed the "Become the Hero" model, empowering kids to be the heroes of their own stories while prioritizing safety. This approach fosters respect, empathy, curiosity, and dignity. In 2023, we introduced peer-to-peer and near-peer mentoring, which has successfully built leadership and connections among students. For more information, see "Menterns."

Outreach at Schools

Mezzacello’s “Roo-Paul-Ster” a chicken in Rooster drag dazzling kids at Metro Early College Middle School. He looks uncertain that bow tie matches his gorgeous foliage.

Mezzacello Urban Farm conducts outreach at local schools with kid-designed mobile labs focused on:

- Biology and Livestock

- Engineering and Coding (DNA and Data)

- Renewable Power Systems

- Data Modeling and Research

Each lab is fully sustainable, featuring its own power generation, display, computer, 5G router, and onboard design challenges,

Ecg Lab contains kid-produced videos explaining the way their functions work. Mezzacello Urban Farm conducts outreach at local schools with kid-designed mobile labs focused on:

Menterns (Mentors + Interns)

  • Another innovative practice we built here at Mezzacello Urban Farm is our house-built “MenTerns” (mentor + intern) program.

  • We took our philosophy of empowering and engaging kids to be the heroes of their product design and new skills and took it to a whole new level in 2025.

  • For the first time officially, 18 MenTerns have been training in zoom sessions and an April 2025 Test-drive to learn and model:

    • Leadership,

    • Accountability

    • Understanding engagements and conflicts

    • And building and designing Design Challenges that they think are fun and relevant

      • They made a case for 12 new ones and we are deploying them this year.

The MOST Interesting Fact About the Mentors Program

For over 30 summer camps this summer, they will be there with me co-teaching these camps and further inspiring and engaging kids to be curious and brave.

  • They will help students learn how to handle failure as data, a journey, not an end.

  • I could not be prouder. These kids are smart and capable. And of course we capture all data that MenTerns will ask for and collect it. Then I’ll wipe it and provide raw data and conduct trend analysis, another workforce skill I taught this Winter.

It’s Partly a Question of Age

Juju is teaching a team how to properly collect, distill, and package algae from a water sample taken from the biofilter. The goal is to obtain resources for creating perfectly balanced fertilizer. 

At just 12 years old, she demonstrates impressive confidence and competence while using a self-configured power cube and a 300-watt solar panel to power all her equipment.

It’s a Question of Access

Juju is a standout Mentern for 2025. Her selection stems from her remarkable fearlessness, infectious curiosity, and genuine desire to forge meaningful connections with others, and take responsibility to teach.

This Capacity Exists in All Kids, But is Stronger in Some

This capacity must be discovered, named, curated, and applied. It embodies purpose, confidence, and real-world learning, and I appreciate this transformative aspect at Mezzacello Urban Farm. Everyone seeks these three essential capacities; But they must be practiced and nurtured to thrive. But they are there nonetheless.

If you're interested, check out our Leadership Academy in the Workshops section, where the MenTerns will teach parts of our four-week Zoom-based camp.

If you're intrigued, check out our Leadership Academy in the Workshops section. The MenTerns have been working on the core content and will be teaching parts of the four-week Zoom-based camp.

And Now the Grounds

Part Park and Formal Gardens.

The formal gardens at Mezzacello Urban Farm are not only beautiful but sustainable. These garden beds blend modern technology with traditional farming practices.

There are ten formal garden beds designed to function like a permaculture forest floor. They are rich in decaying biomass and equipped with water swales that allow the gardens to independently collect and utilize rainwater.

Remarkably, neither the garden beds nor the trees receive any additional watering. All plants are either propagated on-site or provided by friends and neighbors.

Beyond their aesthetic appeal, these gardens play a crucial role in supplying essential biomass to other systems on the farm.

This interdependence between gardens serves as a valuable resource for our neighborhood. More than just a lovely space, they contribute significantly to the health of our community.

Part Urban Garden and Applied STEM Learning Lab and Traing Center.

Mezzacello Urban Farm educates urban schools, communities, families, and students on farming, soil regeneration, composting, and renewable energy.

The farm features five labs dedicated to animal husbandry, power generation, bioengineering, biotech, fertilizer production, along with a four-season biodome.

The farm offers summer camps, workshops, tours, for all aspects of our systems. We offer discounted programs and scholarships to students and families in need,

We also offer corporate team-building events and private events for hands-on learning.

Part of downtown Columbus, OH.

Mezzacello Urban Farm, originally located outside Columbus, is now surrounded by the city as a result of its expansion over the last 156 years. 

The farm consists of three plots in downtown Columbus, positioned between the King-Lincoln/Bronzeville District, Olde Towne East, and the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. The Northern plot contains our Italianate house, while the other two lots are dedicated to farming, just 20 blocks from the Ohio Statehouse.

In total, Mezzacello Urban Farm spans 1,127 square meters (23m x 49m or 75' x 150'). Although it’s a small area, a lot is happening here!

Sustainability

At Mezzacello Urban Farm, we are committed to exploring sustainability for ourselves and the world our students will inherit. 

Our success in teaching advanced STEM topics like robotics, solar and wind energy, and merging that with our traditional farming techniques underscores our dedication to sustainability. 

What started as a simple project that has evolved into a model that simplifies operations and reduces costs. 

We collaborate with the UN and the Global Innovation Field Trip project to host webinars for audiences worldwide. Our focus is on sustainability, technology, and design thinking. One way we accomplish this is by promoting the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals in our community, inspiring change for a sustainable future.

Be a part of this mission!

Consider donating to Mezzacello Urban Farm or becoming
a sponsor today!

Contribute to

Mezzacello Columbus, LLC is a 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to empowering children, families, schools, and communities better understand the reality of sustainability, ecology, food, and renewable resources in a rapidly changing world.

  • Our best work from th previous year!
    [View our 2023 Annual Report Here]

  • A big shout out to our Partners:

    PAST Foundation
    Columbus Foundation
    City of Columbus
    Columbus Parks and Rec
    The Garden Conservatory
    Franklin Park Conservatory
    Battelle

  • Awards and Accolades here