permaculture

196 Facilitator’s Handbook for Permaculture Workshops

• Using legume trees grown in rows along terraces and swales to divide the land
  for crop rotation and allow for integration with animal systems.


• Improving productivity by integrating several varieties of crops and integrating
  different systems.


• Using organic weed control methods.


• Using efficient systems of irrigation and water use.


• Using living fences to protect crops from animals and grow mulch and animal
  fodder.


• Using crop rotation, companion planting, and other integrated pest management
  techniques to reduce pest attacks, and natural pesticides to control any
  problems.


• Using animals to plough the soil.


• Using organic fertilizer to reduce pest problems.


• Using non-hybrid, open-pollinated seeds that can be self-propagated.

The facilitator can discuss these techniques for sustainable, more economically viable

farming with the participants, and ask them to speak about local examples that they

know of or use already.

If handouts and/or images that explain these issues have been prepared, hand them out

to the participants while discussing the related components.

Then discuss the following:

Other important planning and long-term ideas to discuss include:

• Step-by-step short-term, mid-term, and long-term strategies -
  Sometimes to try new techniques and implement major changes, a long-term
  approach and plan is needed. This long-term plan can be divided up into mid-
  term and short-term plans to practice and develop new techniques and make
  gradual and long lasting improvements. A long-term approach is also more
  affordable, less risky, and allows for adaptations and new ideas.


• Food calendars - See PC Book MOD 6 - Home and Community Gardens
  and Module 6 in this handbook for food calendar explanations and exercises.


• Organic certification – Means that the land and water must be chemical free
  and all farming practices must be organic. If land is organically certified then any
  crop growing on it can use an organic label. This will increase the selling value of
  the harvest and open up new markets. To gain organic certification is usually a 3
  year process.

See PC Book MOD 7 – Farming, MOD 4 – Healthy Soil, PC Book MOD 5 - Seed

Saving and Nurseries, PC Book MOD 6 - Home and Community Gardens,

PC Book MOD 9 - Integrated Pest Management, PC Book MOD 10 - Animal

Systems, and other exercises in this book for reference and ideas.