Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by EA on February 14, 2009 at 11:08pm

Yes, Its' an idea who'se time has come!

Permalink Reply by EA on February 14, 2009 at 11:09pm

Sorry for that random apostrophe!

Permalink Reply by Randy Chatterjee on December 6, 2009 at 8:57pm

We in Vancouver (western Canada) have been yardsharing for food production for several years now, mostly on a tithing basis, aka the owner gets his or her pick, but the lion's share stays with the "tenant farmer." It may sound a bit like medieval times, but it works where property plots allow at least 300 square feet of open, cultivatable space (and some direct sun). It also helps if open plots are near (within cycling distance) of the farmer's residence. Our local CityFarmer, Michael Levenston, is the pioneer in this field, and can be found at http://www.cityfarmer.info. He claims he makes enough money, selling the produce in community farmer's markets, to sustain a living.

We also have a yardsharing scheme being tested in one neighbourhood, Kitsilano, pioneered by Ross Moster of Village Vancouver (www.villagevancouver.ca). His is less formal, and geared more to creating social relationships and building a stronger sense of community.

The real question is whether this may soften the culture and law of exclusive real estate ownership, allowing more communal treatment of open land. Scandinavia's Allmansrecht is a step in this direction, allowing "trespass" and even squatting (overnight), as long as the land owner and the land is not in any way disturbed. Sad to say, it is insurance case law here in Canada (and other Commonwealth countries) that may determine how far we can go on this.

Nonetheless, Yardsharing here in Vancouver may soon compete with municipally-owned community garden plots for total acreage in production. With less than 2,000 community garden plots in this city and each scarcely over 50 square feet, that is not a high hurdle.