Find answers to common questions about Hardy
Hardy is a platform that connects gardeners who want to share their excess produce with others in their community. Our mission is to reduce food waste, build stronger communities, and help more people enjoy fresh, locally grown food. We also want to generate interest in gardening and local food production.
Yes, Hardy is completely free to use for both sharing and receiving produce. We're community-focused and want to make it easy for everyone to participate.
Hardy is currently in its early stages and available as a pilot for users in Kenosha and Racine Counties in Wisconsin. As we grow, we'll be expanding to serve more communities. The beauty of Hardy is that it's community-driven, so it works best when there are multiple users in the same area.
To create an account, click the "Sign In / Join" button in the top right corner of any page. From there, you can follow the prompts to set up your profile with basic information like your name and neighborhood area.
Yes, we take your privacy seriously. We only show your zip code and general neighborhood (not your exact address) to other users. Your exact location is only shared when you specifically arrange an exchange with another user. You can review our Privacy Policy for more details.
Once you've created an account, you can create a listing by clicking "List Your Produce" on the homepage or from your Dashboard. You'll be asked to provide details about what you're offering, including a title, description, photos, and whether you're giving it away for free or looking to trade.
Hardy is designed primarily for home-grown produce like fruits, vegetables, and herbs. You can also list seeds, seedlings, plant cuttings, and plants that need to be divided (like hostas or iris). All items should be from your own garden or yard - Hardy is not intended for commercial produce reselling.
In the initial version, Hardy focuses on free sharing and trading produce. We may add options for selling in the future, but our primary goal is to facilitate sharing, reduce waste, and spark an interest in gardening and homesteading in our communities.
When you find produce you're interested in, you can contact the gardener through our messaging system. Together, you'll arrange the details of the exchange, including when and where to meet. Hardy provides the platform to connect, but the actual exchange happens between you and the other gardener.
Not presently. We may add a rating and review system in the future to help build trust between users. For now, we encourage respectful communication and clear arrangements between users.
If you encounter any issues with an exchange, we encourage you to first try to resolve it directly with the other gardener through our messaging system. If that doesn't work, you can Contact Us for assistance.
