Yard Share

My father loves to work in the yard. He is the reason why I'm a gardener. He quickly filled our own yard with a million azeleas, maples, and fish ponds, but still that was not enough. He also wanted to grow vegetables, and as his towering oak trees shaded out his own lot he turned to his long time next door neighbor for help. She never spent time in the yard and welcomed my dad's proposal... He would plant and maintain a vegetable garden in her sun filled yard and in return she could simply take what produce she needed. This offer was made over 10 years ago. At the time I thought he was pretty forward to suggest such a thing, now it's becoming common place. Just this spring my own next door neighbors offered up their fenced in portion of full sun yard to my husband and me. We haven't it touched it yet, finding it hard enough to keep up with what we've got already, but what a neighborly thing to offer!
It turns out that now there is a whole grassroots effort to unite gardeners in need of ground with land owners willing to share their space for a cut of the crop. Following in line with older efforts like City Farmer, this new wider effort is called simply Sharing Backyards. you can visit their website Here. The idea is that you enter your city and state or full address and a map of people looking to garden or share land pops up. Richmond's map.... void of all offers! For inspiration check out the Map for Vancouver BC! you can hardly see past the mass of spots identifying land givers with potential gardeners!