Sowcial Terms of Service

Version 1.0 · Last updated September 9, 2026

These Terms are an agreement between you and Derek Vance, a sole proprietor based in Ohio, USA, who operates Sowcial(“we,” “us”). By creating an account or using Sowcial, you agree to these Terms and to our Privacy Policy.

1. Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years old to use Sowcial. By using it, you confirm that you are.

2. What Sowcial is

Sowcial helps neighbors find each other to barter or give awaywhat they grow, raise, and make — seeds, seedlings, produce, cuttings, preserved goods, and skills or labor. It also gives you planning tools: grow plans, recipes, and calendars.

Sowcial does not process payments. Nothing is sold through the platform. Any exchange is arranged and completed directly between growers.

3. Sowcial is only a venue

Sowcial is a place to connect. We are not a party to any exchange between growers. We do not take possession of any item, we do not inspect, test, or verify listings or growers, and we make no warranty about the quality, safety, health, viability, origin, or description of anything offered. Every exchange is between growers, at their own risk.

4. Meeting in person

Growers arrange and complete exchanges in person, and do so at their own risk. We strongly recommend that you:

• meet in a public place, in daylight;
• bring someone with you, or tell someone where you'll be;
• inspect anything carefully before you take it home;
• trust your instincts and leave if something feels wrong.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Sowcial and Derek Vance disclaim all liability for anything that happens before, during, or after an in-person meeting arranged through the platform, including injury, property damage, illness, theft, or dispute.

5. Prohibited items

Trading plants and seeds carries real legal restrictions. You may not list, offer, or exchange through Sowcial:

• any plant material subject to a federal or state quarantine;
• any species listed as noxious or invasive by the USDA or by any state department of agriculture;
• patented cultivars, or cultivars protected under the Plant Variety Protection Act, that have been propagated for distribution without a license — many nursery cultivars are patented, and propagating them to trade is infringement;
• any plant material whose movement across state lines is restricted or prohibited, or that would require a phytosanitary certificate you do not hold;
• cannabis or any other controlled substance, regardless of state law;
• anything else that is illegal to grow, possess, or transfer where you or the other grower are located.

Complying with these laws is entirely your responsibility. Sowcialdoes not verify legal compliance and is not responsible for any grower's violation. If you are unsure whether something is allowed, check with your state department of agriculture or a local extension office before you list it.

6. Other things you agree not to do

• misrepresent what you're offering, or its condition or origin;
• post spam, or scrape or copy the site's data in bulk;
• harass, threaten, or abuse other growers;
• evade a block or an account suspension, or create an account for someone who has been suspended;
• probe, scan, or test the security of the service, or upload malware or unlawful content.

7. Your content

You keep ownership of the listings, recipes, and messages you post. You grant Sowcial a limited, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to store, display, and distribute that content for the sole purpose of operating and promoting the service. You are responsible for having the rights to everything you post.

Public content — your listings, published recipes, and display name — stays visible to other growers. If you delete your account, recipes you published remain on Sowcial with your name removed, since other growers may be relying on them.

8. Your account

You sign in with a one-time link sent to your email, so keep your email account secure. We may suspend or close an account that violates these Terms, that puts other growers at risk, or where the law requires it. You can delete your account at any time from your account page.

9. Disclaimers

Sowcialand everything in it — including grow guides, recipes, and the food & garden safety guide — is provided “as is,” without warranties of any kind. Guidance on the site is general information, not professional agricultural, medical, veterinary, or legal advice.

10. Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Sowcial and Derek Vance will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or for any loss or harm arising from an exchange between growers or an in-person meeting. Our total liability to you for any claim relating to Sowcial will not exceed US $100.

11. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Sowcialand Derek Vance from any claim arising out of your listings, your exchanges, your content, or your violation of these Terms or of any law — including plant, seed, and agriculture law.

12. Governing law and disputes

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Ohio, USA, without regard to its conflict-of-laws rules. If you have a dispute with us, please email support@getsowcial.com first so we can try to resolve it. Any dispute that isn't resolved that way will be brought only in the state or federal courts located in the county of the operator's residence in Ohio, and only on an individual basis — not as part of a class action.

13. Changes to these Terms

If we change these Terms we will update the version and date above. For material changes, we will ask you to review and accept the new version the next time you sign in. Continuing to use Sowcial after the effective date means you accept the changes.

14. Contact

Derek Vance (operator of Sowcial)
Ohio, USA
support@getsowcial.com

15. Credits

Our site icon is adapted from the “leafy green” graphic (1f96c.svg) by Twitter, Inc. and other contributors, Twemoji, used under CC-BY 4.0.