Chestnut & Hazelnut Guild — FarmPal
A nut-focused guild combining high-value tree crops with nitrogen fixers and multifunctional shrubs.
Central Tree
Chestnut
Spacing
40-60 feet
Establishment
5-10 years to full production
Guild Layers
Canopy
Chestnut (central), Black Locust (nitrogen fixer, edges)
Understory
Hazelnut/Filbert shrubs (multiple for pollination)
Shrub
Goumi (nitrogen fixer + berries), Autumn Olive (nitrogen + wildlife)
Herbaceous
Comfrey, Yarrow, Clovers
Groundcover
Crimson clover, Wild strawberry
Vine
Hardy kiwi (on locust or structure)
Benefits
- •High nitrogen fixation from multiple sources
- •Multiple nut harvests (chestnuts, hazelnuts)
- •Berry production from nitrogen fixers
- •Excellent wildlife habitat
- •Carbon sequestration from large trees