Frequently asked questions
Common questions about GrowOperative, mutual credit, and sharing surplus food with people you trust. New here? Start with how mutual credit works or sharing your garden surplus.
What is GrowOperative?
GrowOperative is a local food app for sharing and trading surplus with people you already know and trust. Instead of paying cash on every exchange, members keep a running tab in ordinary dollars and settle up later. It is the first app built on the FOAF (Friend of a Friend) protocol and is in early soft launch across the Kootenays in British Columbia.
Is GrowOperative free to use?
Yes, it is free to download and free to use today, with no platform fees on what you exchange. Joining and taking part will always be free. Later on, GrowOperative may add a small commission on exchanges to keep itself sustainable, the way a co-op lives on a margin rather than charging for membership.
How does mutual credit work?
When you give someone produce or goods, the app records what you are owed as a line of credit instead of moving cash. Your balance with that person goes up and theirs goes down. You settle that balance later in whatever way you both agree on.
How is a price or value decided?
GrowOperative does not set prices; the people trading do. You list something at what feels fair and the other person agrees or they do not, just like at a farm gate. Because balances are kept in ordinary dollars, you value things the way you already would, and the app simply records what you both agreed. The platform is the ledger in the middle, not the price-setter.
Do I have to use cash?
No. The whole point is to skip cash on every small exchange. You can settle a balance with money if you both want to, or with food, a favour, or anything else of value you agree on. GrowOperative records the agreement; it does not process payments.
What can I share or trade?
Surplus from your garden, kitchen, or pantry: extra tomatoes, fresh herbs, eggs, preserves, baked goods, seedlings, and more. If it is food or a related good and someone in your network wants it, you can list it.
Is GrowOperative only for gardeners?
No. Gardeners with surplus produce are a natural fit, but anyone who grows, makes, or buys food can take part. Producers, retailers, and everyday consumers all use the same network.
Who can see my listings?
Your listings start inside your own circle of trusted contacts and travel outward only as people pass them along, friend to friend. They are scoped to your network, not posted to the open internet.
How is this different from a food bank, barter group, or farmers' market?
A food bank is charity; GrowOperative is value exchange with mutual accountability. A barter group needs a direct match between two people, while here value flows along trust paths through friends of friends and every exchange is logged. Unlike a farmers' market, there are no stalls or fixed locations; it all works through your social network.
Where is GrowOperative available?
It is in early soft launch across the Kootenays region of British Columbia, Canada. The app works anywhere, and we are growing network by network as communities join.
How do I get started?
Try the web demo to see how it works, then download the iOS app or join the Android beta tester group. You build your network by connecting with people you already trust.
Ready to try it?
See how GrowOperative works in the web demo, then download the app to start sharing with people you trust.