Language and the Power of Reframing
This lesson started out as a lesson in learning how to look at data and systems from new perspectives and turned into a mad lib of data synthesis. This was actually a great deal of fun and it is a new tool I will be using with students. The game is called “Coin Purse” for maximum absurdity and permission to be creative with language and the power of reframing.
Sustainability In Nature
In this class we gave each DNA strand (table) a beneficial mutation that would benefit the entire species (class). But one table’s mutation was bad for the other. The challenge was to optimize and use reason and democracy to decide what represented optimal sustainability in nature.
The Power of Permaculture
This is the story of systems design and permaculture in the service of sustainability on an urban farm. This collage of images showcases 7 years of successful permaculture that transformed 30 cut stems of hydrangea, and 36 cut branches into the hornbeam allee that exists at Mezzacello Urban Farm today. This is the power of permaculture.
How We Build Ecology, Technology, and Confidence Through Curriculum
At Mezzacello, we don’t recreate the wheel with new curriculum. We use the wheels of existing curriculum and build a new vehicle blending traditional Amish strategies and cutting edge STEM technology. This is how we do it.
Introducing Camp Stories at Mezzacello
The beginning of a series of blog posts about my summer camp experiences here at Mezzacello Urban Farm. These happen all the time, but I rarely share them. I think I should start!
Portable Energy Generation systems (PEGs)
An emerging aspect of our mission to Grow, Maintain, Sustain, and Explain is improved portable units to teach our Applied STEM systems in more locations. PEGs is the latest offering. Portable Energy Generation systems.
How Kids Can Monitor and Protect Their Environment
At a Mezzacello Urban Farm Summer Camp for Middle School Students, a team of kids tested, monitored, diagnosed a parasite, and treated a 7000kl pond and the vet approves!
Welcome to the TerraRover
Mezzacello Urban Farm is proud to add the NASA/AREN TerraRover project to our farm and curriculum. This ground-based, Landsat-connected rover will allow Mezzacello to tie the farm to the atmosphere and beyond innew and surprising ways.
BioDome Curriculum Design
After building and testing the BioDome at Mezzacello Urban Farm I needed to know how difficult it was to build a real model!
The Rule of Sustainability - 3 and 5 Strategy
Sustainability is an important topic right now. We need more of it, and better metrics to define what "it" is.
Spring 2021 and the Brunerform
An update on the gardens this spring and a candid little confessional and observation on Spring, Beauty, Life, and Fashion.
The Vision for the Formal Gardens
Six years ago around this time we started mapping out the "rooms" of the formal gardens. We cut out the sod and recycled as much of the dirt as we could and turned the rest into sod rolls for our neighbors. We had 60 rolls of sod.
The Harvest Relay
Once again we are up against the gun at harvest time. After the disaster of last year, I am hoping for better systems and better results.
The Prince of Swales
Swales and Hugelkultur (under soil permaculture) on an urban farm in Columbus, OH. is a winning strategy to combat Climate Reality.
The Enclosed Sustainable Ecosystems of Mezzacello
What is a truly enclosed, self-sustaining ecosystem? It requires that the energy and materials going in are accounted for and amplified coming out.