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GrowOperative Onboarding Guide

Status: protocol roadmap, not the current app

This guide describes the full FOAF / GrowOperative protocol vision. It is not a description of the GrowOperative iOS / Android app currently available on the App Store and Google Play (version 1.0).

The shipped app is a free barter-ledger marketplace with no fees, no in-app purchases, no token integration, and no payment processing. The fees, RHEO routing, and trust-chain premiums described in this guide are part of the longer-term protocol design and are not present in the current app.

When these features are ready to ship inside the iOS or Android apps, any paid functionality will be implemented via Apple's In-App Purchase and Google Play Billing per platform guidelines.

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GrowOperative is the first application of the FOAF Foundation, a Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) empowering communities to trade gardening surplus using flexible, trust-based settlement. This guide helps gardeners, neighbors, and resilience enthusiasts list what they have, request items already listed, and participate in a decentralized network that supports sustainable food systems. Instructional explainer videos will launch alongside the May 2026 alpha.

Why Join?

  • Expand Your Garden: Grow more knowing surplus has a reliable outlet.
  • Reduce Waste: Share extra produce before it spoils.
  • Build Community: Trade with neighbors through trust paths and local networks.
  • Flexible Settlement: Use cash, mutual credit, or RHEO for trades.
  • Support Sustainability: RHEO-based fees sustain the system without donations or volunteer burnout.

Getting Started

1. Access the App

  • Use the Progressive Web App (PWA) at launch (May 2026); mobile apps follow.
  • No crypto experience needed — just a phone, browser, or simple wallet if you want one.
  • Explainer videos guide you through setup.

2. Create an Account

  • Sign up with email or an optional wallet.
  • Connect with local groups or friends to build your trust chain.

3. List What You Have

  • Add items (e.g., “Tomatoes, $2 per lb”) with photos, per-unit pricing in local fiat currency, and quantity.
  • Choose visibility: global or “contacts only” (visible to direct contacts and theirs).
  • No listing fee at launch.

4. Request Existing Listings

  • Browse listed items and request what you need.
  • You cannot post general “wanted” requests — only respond to existing offers.
  • Intermediate contacts may offer items at a markup.

5. Settle the Trade

  • Choose cash (PayPal, eTransfer, Venmo), mutual credit (IOUs), or RHEO.
  • All trades incur a 3% fee on trade value, paid by the seller or intermediary.
  • If there’s a markup, a 3% fee on markup also applies.
  • RHEO is required for all fees but flows automatically via trust chains — you don’t need to hold it directly.
  • Multi-hop trust chains apply a 1% routing premium per hop.

Example Trade

  • Bob Lists: Tomatoes at $2 per lb, 5 lbs available, contacts-only.
  • Peter (Bob’s Contact): Requests 1 lb at $2.
  • Paul and Sara (Peter’s Contacts): See the same tomatoes, offered via Peter at $2.50/lb.
  • Final Trade:
  • Peter buys 3 lbs from Bob ($6 total).
  • Sells 1 lb each to Paul and Sara ($5 total).
  • Fees apply:
  • Bob pays 3% on $6 = 0.18 RHEO
  • Peter pays 3% on $5 = 0.15 RHEO (if RHEO used)
  • If routing through others, each hop adds 1% premium

Key Concepts

  • Local Pricing: All items are priced per unit in the local fiat currency (e.g., USD, CAD, etc.).
  • No Token Barrier: You don’t need to buy tokens — RHEO flows from FOAF holders via trust chains.
  • No Listing Requests: Only list what you have. Browse to request items already listed.
  • Trust Network: Listings can propagate through social trust paths, enabling broader reach.
  • No Action Fees at Launch: Listing and claiming are free during alpha; only RHEO-based value fees apply.

Tips for Success

  • Start with simple, seasonal surplus.
  • Watch the explainer videos for step-by-step guidance.
  • Join or start a local trust network on Signal, Telegram, or Facebook.
  • Participate in DAO decisions using FOAF (airdropped or earned).
  • Provide feedback via the app or contribution page.

Alpha Launch Details (May 2026)

  • Core Locations: Crawford Bay, Kaslo, Nelson, Boulder, Asheville, and other gardening- and resilience-focused communities like Victoria (BC), Sebastopol (CA), Santa Fe (NM), Burlington (VT), Marin County (CA), and Portland (OR).
  • Join: Sign up through your community network or directly through the app.
  • Tools: Watch onboarding videos, participate in trades, and help test the DAO.

GrowOperative helps turn your surplus into value and community power — join the movement for local resilience.

Explore more in pitch, fee structure, and airdrops.