A Tale of North and South Korea: or East Mezzacello & West Mezzacello
North and South Korea: East and West Mezzacello
North and South Korea is at the heart of Mezzacello. We always knew we were of two minds when we designed Mezzacello. Rick wanted Pretty and Plentiful, I wanted Functional and Farmland; This was the compromise
This is the heart of Mezzacello.
When Rick and I were first looking for a house in Olde Towne East we had a list of five simple criteria:
- The house had to be Federal or Italianate
- The house had to be affordable
- The location needed to be close to a bus line
- There needed to be southern exposure
- There needed to be a yard for “gardening”
We quickly discovered these criteria described vastly different intentions. Picture the iconic TV series “Green Acres” and cast Rick in the role of the genteel southern gentleman amongst manicured gardens, and picture me as the mad scientist fascinated by the intersection of biology, agriculture, chemistry, and physics. Yeah, we quickly came to realize we needed a peace treaty.
The DMZ for now...
We settled on North and South Korea because whereas South Korea is beautiful and both the west garden at Mezzacello and North Korea are run by megalomaniac dictators. He even calls me “Jim Ill Un”. Well the metaphor stuck.
I try to make the farm garden at Mezzacello pretty, but there’s only so much you can do do with mud, coops, greenhouses, and poop. But unlike the Korean Peninsula, these two entities do get along and really do support each other.
Without my garden there would be no food, fertilizer or crazy experiments. Without Rick’s garden there would be no beauty, sophistication or grace. One garden feeds the body, the other garden feeds the soul. It’s a good compromise.
