Share a Yard

Share a Yard

What is Utah Yard Share?

Utah Yard Share introduces gardeners to garden spaces, creating a unique and viable approach to empowering people of all ages and incomes to grow and eat healthy, organic, local food. In addition, it creates self-reliance and builds stronger communities. It’s a win for everyone!

Definitions

Resident Gardener: Person sharing his or her yard space to garden;

Companion Gardener: Person seeking space to garden;

Gardens: Existing or extra garden plots/beds, undeveloped land, or area where chickens or other permitted livestock can be raised.

It’s easy to start

  1. Resident Gardener completes the
    Resident Questionnaire 
    describing his/her garden space.

  2. This information is uploaded to a public
    Utah Yard Share Google Map

  3. The Companion Gardener searches the
    Utah Yard Share Google Map
    for potential space and contacts the Resident Gardener either by phone or email.

  4. Make your match - Both get to know each other & discuss the details of sharing a garden using the suggested resources in our toolkit.

  5. Begin gardening! Don’t forget to check in with each other as the season unfolds. 

For questions about the Utah Yard Share project, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 801.359.2658 x26.

Frequently Asked Questions About Utah Yard Share

What is Utah Yard Share?

In the most basic sense, Utah Yard Share is when two or more people or parties share resources in order to grow or share food. Those parties could be friends, family, neighbors or people who meet for the sole purpose of sharing garden space. The resources could be physical such as land, water, tools, and produce, and/or less tangible such as time, effort, and creativity.

What land qualifies for the Utah Yard Share program?

Locations for Utah Yard Share may include, but are not limited to:

  • Front, back, and/or side yards
  • Parking strips
  • Roof tops
  • Green houses
  • Empty lots of any size

Suggested activities for your Utah Yard Share:

Sky's the limit, but some suggested Utah Yard Share activities may include:

  • Vegetable, fruit and/or flower gardens
  • Urban farming/homesteading
  • Fruit trees or bushes (maintenance and/or produce share)
  • Raising chickens or other permitted livestock

How to begin sharing your available garden space?

It is simple to begin sharing your yard:

  1. Have space available for gardening. This could be anywhere from front and backyards, to green houses, roof tops, and empty lots. Be a property owner and have homeowners insurance.
  2. List your garden space on the Utah Yard Share Google Map by completing the Resident Questionnaire. Interested Companion Gardeners will contact you to discuss using your land further.
  3. Complete the Resident Gardener Survey, which is a form that will help focus your goals and expectations from sharing your yard. For other valuable resources, check out the Utah Yard Share toolkit!

What if you're looking for available garden space?

It is simple to begin using available garden space:

  1. Search for available garden space on the Utah Yard Share Google Map.
  2. Contact the Resident owner of the space to discuss gardening together and set up a meeting.
  3. Complete the Companion Gardener Survey, which is a form that will help focus your goals and expectations from gardening in shared space. For other valuable resources, check out the Utah Yard Share toolkit!

What other resources are available for Resident and Companion Gardeners to make sure this experience is successful?

Visit our toolkit! While Wasatch Community Gardens does not facilitate the sharing of available garden space, we want to ensure this experience is successful for everyone. We have provided a toolkit with the following resources:

  1. Resident Garden Survey
  2. Companion Garden Survey
  3. Garden Plan
  4. Garden Etiquette
  5. Gardening Agreement and Waiver of Liability

You are not required to use these forms. They are simply available as a free resource. Please see our Terms of Use for additional liability questions.

Who establishes the Utah Yard Share terms?

As host of the yard share gardening program, Wasatch Community Gardens offers a site for those interested in yard sharing to connect. While we provide information and advice on yard sharing, and a way to communicate with others, it is up to the Resident and Companion Gardeners to talk to each other and negotiate their own unique agreement.

The rest is up to those doing the sharing – you!

While we would love to hear how your yard share experience is going, it is the responsibility of those using the site to contact potential yard sharers, establish terms and agreements, and resolve conflicts.

What do we need to consider?

Before you begin sharing, give some thoughts to your personal needs, such as proximity to the land, how much time and resources you can commit, and any special concerns you have. Once you have found someone to share with, it will be helpful to discuss specific details regarding how space, supplies and produce will be used and shared.

Toolkit

This toolkit provides essential resources you will need to make Utah Yard Share a success for everyone - from surveys to help you narrow your focus and goals, to creating a garden plan, to agreeing on garden etiquette and developing an agreement. Getting started is simple:

Step 1: Start the conversation

Resident Gardener Survey

Companion Gardener Survey

Once you have each completed your surveys, schedule a meeting, and discuss your answers. Being candid about what you want to gain from this gardening experience will secure the success of your garden.

Step 2: Make a garden plan

Once you have determined the basis of your gardening relationship, make a garden plan. The Garden Plan document provides discussion points detailing your gardening relationship, including plot sketches, gardening expenses, and division of responsibilities.

Step 3: Create an agreement

Now that you’ve had a chance to sit down and talk about the many aspects of growing a garden together, it’s a good idea to WRITE IT DOWN. That way, you know you’re on the same page, and you’ll be able to remind yourself what you decided as the summer flies by. The Agreement Document serves as a framework for writing it all down. Make it as simple or as detailed as you want it to be.

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