The short version
1. Who we are
Furrow is an iOS gardening companion app that helps you discover what to plant, when to plant it, and how to care for it — personalized by your location. Furrow is developed and maintained as an independent iOS application.
Questions about this policy? Contact us at privacy@furrow-app.com.
2. What we collect
Furrow collects as little data as possible. Here is a complete picture of everything the app handles:
| Data | Purpose | Where it's stored | Shared with |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZIP code | Determine your USDA growing zone and planting calendar | On your device only | Nobody |
| Plant photos (optional) | Plant identification via the Identify feature | Not stored by Furrow | Groq / Llama Vision (see Section 5) |
| API keys (optional) | Enable Plant ID and Garden AI features powered by Groq | iOS Keychain on your device only | Groq (see Section 5) |
We do not collect your name, email address, precise GPS location, contacts, or any other personal information. We do not use any advertising SDKs or third-party analytics frameworks.
3. What we do NOT collect
To be explicit: Furrow does not collect, store, or transmit any of the following:
Personal identifiers (name, email, phone number) · Precise location or GPS data · Device identifiers (IDFA, IDFV) · Browsing or app usage history · Contacts or calendar data · Health or fitness data · Financial information · Crash logs or analytics (no third-party SDKs for this purpose)
4. How data is used
Your ZIP code is used solely to look up your USDA hardiness zone and display relevant planting information. This lookup happens on-device using bundled zone data — it is never sent over the network.
If you use the Identify feature, the photo you take or select is sent to Groq's API (using Llama Vision) to receive a plant identification result. This transmission is initiated by you each time you use the feature. Furrow does not log, cache, or retain your photos.
If you choose to enter an API key to use Garden AI, that key is stored in your iOS Keychain and is used only to authenticate requests you initiate to the Groq API. It is never transmitted to Furrow servers.
5. Third-party services
Furrow uses the following third-party services for specific optional features:
| Service | Feature | Data sent | Their privacy policy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Groq / Llama Vision | Plant identification (Identify feature) | Plant photo (when you use Identify) — never stored by Furrow | groq.com/privacy-policy |
| Groq / Llama 3.3 | Garden AI assistant | Your questions (when you use Ask AI) | groq.com/privacy-policy |
Furrow is not affiliated with Groq. Both AI features are optional — the core app (plant catalog, planting calendars, zone detection, native plants, pollinator guide) functions fully without them.
6. Data sources
Plant data, planting calendars, and growing zone information are sourced from the USDA PLANTS Database and publicly available university extension program publications. Zone boundary data uses the USDA 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map.
7. Children's privacy
Furrow does not knowingly collect any information from children under 13. The app does not require account creation, does not collect personal information, and contains no user-generated content or social features. We believe Furrow is appropriate for family use.
8. Data security
Because Furrow stores virtually no data, there is very little attack surface. Your ZIP code lives in standard iOS app storage on your device. Your API key, if provided, is stored in the iOS Keychain — Apple's secure credential storage system — and is protected by your device's hardware security features.
9. Your rights
Because Furrow does not maintain accounts or collect personal data on servers, there is no user data for us to delete, export, or correct on our end. All data the app stores lives on your device and can be removed by deleting the app.
If you have questions about data handled by iNaturalist or Groq, you should contact those services directly using their privacy policies linked above.
10. Changes to this policy
If we materially change how Furrow handles data, we will update this policy and revise the "Last updated" date at the top. We encourage you to review this page periodically.
11. Contact
For privacy questions or concerns, contact us at: