What is Neighborhood Fruit?
Why Neighborhood Fruit?
How does Neighborhood Fruit work?
What is the deal with the fruit labels?
If I can’t find what I want on Neighborhood Fruit, what should I do?
Can I hop a fence and just go get some fruit whenever I see a tree?
What if I pay for Fruitfillment and the fruit is not there when I go to retrieve it?
Why don’t I receive money for the fruit I grow?
I’m really excited about this service, but I’m worried about the liability of having people in my backyard or eating my fruit. What if they slip and fall and sue me? What if someone eats my fruit and gets sick?
What if someone uses Neighborhood Fruit as an opportunity to observe my house and plan a break-in?
Why can’t I just get some fruit for the fruit I give away?
Aaack! I have too many zucchinis. Can I use Neighborhood Fruit to give them away?
Why do you ask so many questions about my trees?
Is the information I share with Neighborhood Fruit private?
I am from Canada. Can I use your service?
What is Neighborhood Fruit?
Neighborhood Fruit is a service helping people find and share fruit through a mediated and safe online platform. You can use the service to find fruit in any quantity you want. If you like the service, we hope you let others know about it.
Why Neighborhood Fruit?
Neighborhood Fruit was created to make use of the abundant fruit growing in our urban neighborhoods. Currently, the bulk of fruit grown in back yards in our cities goes to waste, while the fruit we consume is grown in water-intensive orchards far from our homes.
We envision a different future, where the bulk of backyard fruit is utilized and shared between neighbors. We envision a future where the food we eat is truly fresh, seasonal and local. Our diets replete with home-made goodies.
What is the deal with the fruit labels?
The fruit labels denote fruit that is offered for others to enjoy. Since the labels change monthly, people seeking fruit can know that it is reasonably fresh, and that the fruit is offered to them. Because the labels are beautiful and fun, they also signify that the fruit has value, even though it is being offered for free. In this way, they help us create a community of sharing. We value your feedback on the labels, if you have any thoughts, please contact us.
If I can’t find what I want on Neighborhood Fruit, what should I do?
Mother nature controls what fruit is available and when. We only are going to show you what is in season. We suggest you go get some of what is available now, and maybe what you are seeking will be in season later.
Can I hop a fence and just go get some fruit whenever I see a tree?
Absolutely not, it is illegal to enter a yard without permission.
What if I arrange for Fruitfillment and the fruit is not there when I go to retrieve it?
Contact us and let us know what happened. We will evalutate your situation and issue a credit if applicable. When practical and feasible, we will take steps to resolve the issue with the Tree Owner.
What if the fruit that is given to me is rotten?
You should give feedback about that Fruit Tree Owner on the feedback form. If the fruit is simply overripe, but not rotten, you also should consider making something with the usable part of the fruit, such as jam or a pie.
Why don’t I receive money for the fruit I grow?
Only legally registered producers, i.e. farmers, may sell their produce in most counties around the US. These regulations differ from county to county and often are a quagmire of paperwork. Neighborhood Fruit was designed to facilitate people using excess urban fruit and to create community. The Fruitfillment fee we charge Fruit Seekers reflects our costs of delivering the information service. Neighborhood Fruit rewards Tree Owners who share their fruit with free membership.
I’m really excited about this service, but I’m worried about the liability of having people in my backyard or eating my fruit. What if they slip and fall and sue me? What if someone eats my fruit and gets sick?
Liability is always a concern with everything we do, but here are a few things that will protect you:
- When Neighborhood Fruit connects you with someone to come pick your fruit, we will also ask them to agree to a also provide them with a liability waiver, indicating that they will not hold you responsible for any injury or illnesses that result from picking or eating your fruit. to sign and give to you.
- Taking precaution make injury or illness much less likely to occur. To greatly reduce the risk of falling, Neighborhood Fruit asks that members do not use ladders or climb trees to pick fruit, but instead use poles or extension fruit-pickers to retrieve fruit from high branches. You also want to make sure that your yard is free of hazards, such as holes, sharp objects, and upturned rakes, and that your dog or other pets are tied up or inside at the time that you arrange for the picking. If there are any hazards that you cannot remedy, be sure to specifically warn fruit pickers about those hazards. In this way, you can protect yourself from a lawsuit.
- In many situations, the law provides liability protection to people who donate food to the needy. According to the Bill Emerson Food Security Act, you will be exempt (with some exceptions) from liability if you give your excess harvest to a non-profit organization for distribution to needy individuals. The Act also covers food that caterers or restaurants donate to charities. Of course, not everyone who receives fruit through Neighborhood Fruit would be classified as “needy” or meet the definition of “non-profit organization;” nevertheless, in some situations, the Act will apply and give you protection. To date there have been very few lawsuits resulting from any of the type food giving described in the Act.
What if someone uses Neighborhood Fruit as an opportunity to observe my house and plan a break-in?
Similar to Craigslist or eBay, we cannot guarantee that the people you will interact with through Neighborhood Fruit will all be good people. This is exactly why we have developed our user ranking system; you can choose who you allow into your yard. If you are uncomfortable with allowing others onto your property, you can always prepare the fruit for pickup.
Why can’t I just get some fruit for the fruit I give away?
Direct fruit-for-fruit exchanges are not part of this service. To be able to provide you with the high quality information you expect from Neighborhood Fruit, we incur some costs. For this reason, we plan to charge Fruit Seekers for annual access to Fruitfillment. By giving away your fruit, you can earn free Fruitfillment for your own fruit needs. This system enables you to efficiently share your surplus fruit, and be able to locate other fruit when you need it.
Aaack! I have too many zucchinis. Can I use Neighborhood Fruit to give them away?
In the culinary world, zucchini is a vegetable, but bontanically it is an immature fruit. Fruit of vegetable, immature or not, we feel that excess is excess and it should still be shared. Now for a joke. A man is walking down a road and sees a lovely bunch of strawberries growing. When he knocks at the door and asks if he can have some, they answer “Yes, but only if you take this suitcase of zucchinis!” So yes, you can use Neighborhood Fruit to share vegetables and herbs, in addition to fruit.
Why do you ask so many questions about my trees?
Neighborhood Fruit is collaborating with the Urban Forest Mapping Project to capture information about urban forests and inner-city carbon sequestration. We do not share your private information with them; we only share information about your trees. When registering your tree, you will have an opportunity to out from sharing your tree information if you wish not to participate.
Is the information I share with Neighborhood Fruit private?
We are committed to your privacy and the security of your personal information. Your details, including your address will only be divulged to others at your direction. For the specific details, please refer to the Neighborhood Fruit Privacy Policy.
I am from Canada. Can I use your service?
We love Canada, and the UK, and Russia, but Neighborhood Fruit currently operates only in the US. Every country has different laws about fruit sharing, which requires legal knowldedge we don't have resources for at the moment. But we are growing fast - we may expand to a country near you in the future, so please come back soon!.
