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GrowOperative Onboarding Guide

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.