permaculture

260 Facilitator’s Handbook for Permaculture Workshops

Creative thinking : Make a list of local ‘guilds’

Method : Participatory group brainstorm

Tools : Large paper, markers

References : PC Book MOD 9 – Integrated Pest Management

Objective : Participants integrate guilds into different systems

Step 1 - Identify local guilds and their benefits

Using something like the table below, the facilitator can ask the participants to identify

local guilds (examples of different planting companion plant combinations, including

flowers, herbs, vegetables, trees, etc) and the benefits of the guild (table 1).

The answers listed below are only supplied as ideas for the facilitator if the

participants need help for prompting ideas and discussions.

Guild Benefit of the guild Integrate guilds with systems

Corn,

beans, and

pumpkins

• Corn provides trellising for the beans.


• Beans provide nitrogen.


• Pumpkin provides ground cover and
  weed control.
  
  
  • Part of a legume terraced vegetable and grain
    rotation system.
  
  
  • Planted in strips in an orchard.
  
  
  • Part of an animal rotation system.
  
  
  
  

Tomatoes,

garlic,

basil, and

beans

• The strong smell of the basil disguises
  the smell of the tomatoes to pests.


• The bean’s roots fix nitrogen into the soil
  to fertilize the tomato and the basil.


• The garlic smell helps repel pest insects.
  
  
  • Home gardens.
  
  
  • Market gardens.
  
  
  • Part of a vegetable rotation system.
  
  
  • Part of an animal/crop rotation system.
  
  
  
  

Eggplant,

coriander,

and beans

• The strong smell of the coriander stops
  insect attacking the eggplant.


• The bean roots fix nitrogen into the soil
  to fertilize the eggplant and coriander.
  
  
  • Home gardens.
  
  
  • Market gardens.
  
  
  • Part of a vegetable rotation system.
  
  
  • Part of an animal and crop rotation system.
    Carrot,
    cucumber,
    and
    lettuce
  
  
  
  


• The carrot smell confuses the insect to
  come to the cucumber.


• Each of the plants needs different
  nutrition from the soil.


• Home gardens.


• Market gardens.


• Part of a vegetable rotation system.

Table 1. Guilds and their benefits Table 2. How the guild is integrated

into different systems

Step 2 - Suggest integration of guilds with other systems

Ask the participants to split up into smaller workgroups and have each workgroup come

up with lists of how those guild can be used and integrated into different farming systems

• With vegetables, grains, fruit trees, tree crops, animals, fish, etc (table 2).

Step 3 - Presentation with feedback and suggestions

After each workgroup has created their lists, ask them to present the results to the entire

group for feedback and other suggestions.

Place the lists in the training space so that it can be referenced during the rest

of the workshop.

EXERCISE

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