The 4iP commissioning team asked me to post a few words about my forthcoming project, Landshare, which although linked to a TV series (River Cottage) is very 4iP in feel and doesn’t depend on its TV element to succeed. It is being commissioned by me out of Channel 4’s Cross-platform Commissioning department (where I am responsible for Factual projects) and budget, but, had it had a different genesis and not sprung from the River Cottage TV series, would otherwise be just the kind of thing 4iP would be keen to nurture and help flourish.
eBay, Couchsurfing, Freecycle, Park At My House - one of the greatest strengths of the Web is connecting and aggregating supply & demand. Landshare plugs into exactly that power - it links people who want to grow their own fruit & veg (but can’t get an allotment) with people who have bits of land they can grow it on. This could be an arthritic granny who can no longer do her garden, a property developer with some wasteland, a hospital with overgrown former gardens, a church with glebe land, anywhere where unproductive land can be safely used to grow your own and the resultant produce shared between grower and land-owner.
The project started last summer when the series producer of River Cottage came in to Horseferry Road with members of the Keo Films team who produce the show. The idea was to develop a story featured in the TV series by exploring how the Web could facilitate the kind of land sharing Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall had highlighted on screen. What immediately appealed was the simplicity and clarity of the proposition, and the fact that it revolved around this core strength of the Web. It also felt very much of the moment - even more so now, 6 months on.
We started by building a first phase site at www.landshare.net to test the level of interest. Using the Autumn series of River Cottage as a springboard, we had 15,000 registrations within 10 days. The mix was healthy in terms of the balance between would-be Growers and Land-owners. We also had people register as Landspotters - participants who might know of potentially usable land in their locality - and Facilitators - participants who could help vulnerable people, those in need of help on the computer front and anyone requiring extra support to take part. Like-minded groups and organisations were also able to register interest.
The plan is for the next few months to see the design and build of the service, as well as the follow-up work on partnerships with all manner of enthusiasts small and large, local and nation-wide. The focus is on amplifying the inspiring work of existing land share-type initiatives and champions in the field, as well as helping the sharing of best practice and providing a UK overview - as opposed to stomping in with great big broadcaster wellies.
Issues of legal compliance have been considered and worked through from the off. Since the process involves transactions and meetings in real life a good deal of thought has gone into how to make those work effectively and safely. Projects like School of Everything (in which 4iP has invested), which likewise involves real-life encounters, have provided useful precedents and approaches to such issues.
It’s always a good sign when a project has an organic feel of wholeness and rightness and Landshare has that vibe for me. The new year saw it flagged up as a trend-setter for 2009 in The Guardian and rippling over the pond to be picked up by Huffington. It has caught the eye of the Scottish Parliament. All these are promising indications that Landshare is the right idea in the right place at the right time. So here’s to a fruitful 2009…
Frankie Roberto on Wed, January 07, 2009 at 11:17 said:
Thanks for posting this - it will be great to see how the site develops (and I’d love to see more blog posts exploring the project).
We actually came up with a very similar idea, partly inspired by the Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall & Jamie Oliver shows, and partly by the idea that with the looming recession it would be a good time to initiate disruptive projects that take back land into public/community ownership. We hadn’t seen Landshare, so submitted the idea to 4iP (opps - should’ve researched it more), but we’re only to happy to see that the project is already in the works!
I’m signed up, and have been keeping my eye open for derelict space in Manchester.
Adam Gee on Wed, January 07, 2009 at 1:02 said:
Frankie, I’ll update on progress on this site and look forward to getting some class urban spaces IDed in Manchester.
Andy on Thu, January 15, 2009 at 3:08 said:
Springwise have picked this up… http://springwise.com/food_beverage/matching_would-be_vegetable_ga/
Adam Gee on Tue, January 20, 2009 at 11:44 said:
Andy (and Marko), that’s great thanks - had a look at Bright Neighbor referred to in the comments there
John Harding on Tue, March 03, 2009 at 10:12 said:
Is landshare working as I have sent two emails via the site and not had a reply!
has anybody had contact with the organisation?
regards
Adam Gee on Tue, March 03, 2009 at 10:58 said:
The site at http://www.channel4.com/landshare is the first phase (Registration of Interest) site. The full landsharing site is due to launch this Spring. Beyond registration, any emails you sent will have gone through to the start-up team at Keo Films who are logging all expressions of interest and offers of partnership/assistance. They certainly will get back to you though it may take a bit of time with well over 30,000 registrants to date and related conversations in train, as well as being nose to the grindstone on the actual site development which is shaping up really well. The exciting news from the last couple of weeks was that the National Trust have decided to use Landshare exclusively as their means of matching would-be growers to the 1,000 new allotments they are about to create on their properties.
Dave Harte on Mon, March 09, 2009 at 10:48 said:
It needs to launch soon as I’m already sowing seeds in pots ready for planting out in a few weeks. I’ve registered the space in the back half of my allotment - does that count? It isn’t big but could easily be sown with enough to feed a family or two. I’ve more than enough space for the stuff I grow.
I’ll chit a few extra seed potatoes anyway in case anyone needs them….
Adam Gee on Tue, March 10, 2009 at 4:59 said:
Dave, we’re going as fast as we can! It’s a simple, elegant idea which is ferociously complex to implement so we are busy working through piles of property law, etc. to make absolutely sure everything is user-friendly, safe and fit for purpose.
Landshare is indeed designed to cater for small land-owners, even allotment shares and garden shares (back and front) - as well as providing an effective infrastructure for bigger landowners, so it’s to cover the full spectrum.
Dave Harte on Tue, March 10, 2009 at 5:05 said:
Thanks Adam - As I say, the extra spuds are chitting anyway.
food machinery auction on Thu, April 16, 2009 at 9:52 said:
It would be great to see more blogs exploring the project and to see how the site develops. Interesting article!
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