Sharecropping Reimagined

Shared Earth Re-imagines Share Cropping for the Modern World

GOOD Blog > Alicia Capetillo on April 25, 2010 at 7:00 pm PDT

So you want to be a gardener but lack any hint of a green thumb? Have excess available land in need of a nurturing gardener to till the area? Aspiring horticulturists and land owners now have an online space to connect, garden, and share homegrown fruits and vegetables. Founder Adam Dell’s Shared Earth aims to bring sharecropping back by connecting open land with gardeners hoping to cultivate their own food. Motherboard reports:

It's kind of like a dating site, but instead of romantic dinners, people come together around backyards and empty lots. In the process, they get to reduce wasted land, fight greenhouse gases, grow their own food, harvest extra crops for food pantries, and maybe make some extra cash. It's ground-breaking. Literally.

The environmental benefits of unused land being transformed into farmland aside, Shared Earth seems like a great way to meet other local food enthusiasts and finally take advantage of the small patch of land between apartment buildings. The venture is already a success, with nearly 26 million square feet of land already being shared across the country—particularly impressive considering the fact that the site only launched this Earth Day. Head over to Motherboard for an interview with Dell; it just might convince you to abandon your thriving Farmville area and try your hand at the real thing for a change.

Photo via Motherboard