How a trade works
A trade is a swap of produce or garden goods between two community members. No money changes hands — it's a barter. The platform never takes a fee on trades, ever.
Posting a trade listing
1. Click + New Listing in the nav
2. Pick the listing type Trade
3. Add what you're offering (title, description, photos)
4. In the description, say what you want in exchange (e.g. "Looking for: tomato or pepper seedlings, fresh herbs, eggs")
5. Publish
Receiving and accepting trade offers
When someone wants to trade with you:
1. They open your listing and click "Send trade offer"
2. They propose what they're offering you (one or more items they're listing)
3. You'll see the offer in your Trades dashboard and get a notification
4. Review their offer — open their items, check their profile, look at their ratings
5. Accept — both items get marked "in trade" and you message each other to coordinate
6. Counter — propose a different swap (e.g. "I'll trade if you add a bag of basil")
7. Decline — politely close the offer, no hard feelings
Multi-item trades (Grower Pro feature)
Grower Pro subscribers can build multi-item trade offers — e.g. "I'll trade 3 lbs of lemons + a basil bundle for your pepper seedlings + a jar of tomato sauce." Free and Grower Plus members can do single-item trades only.
Safety basics
- Trade in a public place — community garden, farmers market, your front porch in daylight
- See the produce first — bring it home before composting your half
- Build reputation — after a successful trade, both sides can leave reviews. Trades with reviewed partners are higher trust.
If the other person doesn't show up
You can report a no-show from the trade conversation. Repeated no-shows flag an account for admin review. See Report an unsafe listing or user for full reporting options.
Are trades taxable?
In most jurisdictions, casual produce swaps between neighbors aren't taxable income. If you're trading commercial volumes regularly, consult a tax professional — bartering is generally treated as income at market value above certain thresholds.
Still need help? Open a ticket.
← All articles