I am in Raleigh in Wake County, and we are allowed to purchase compost, mulch, etc. from our city's yard waste center. The material is the composted or shredded remains of the city's curbside leaf and brush pick-up. The last time I went, a truckload of compost was $18 (2 1/2 cubic yards). It's very easy and convenient--they are open weekdays and Saturday. You drive-through at a window, pay your tab, go park where they tell you to, and someone comes with a front end loader fills up the bed. If you get a smaller amount, I believe you have to fill up your containers yourself. This link to the city's Web site provides other info. that may help you with your research. Good luck talking with your recycling folks!

Carla

Here is a link that might be useful: City of Raleigh Yard Waste Center

I get my mulch/compost from Wake County also. Sometimes I have to pick out bits of trash from it but that's no trouble because I am the one unloading it, wheelbarrow load by wheelbarrow load. Also right now, you can buy one load and then go back for a second free load but it has to be the same day. Shannon/Dirtrx

Shannon -- Ralph was telling me about the compost you can get from Holly Springs, which is a bit cheaper, I think. I checked some of his out in person and it blows the city of Raleigh's away, in terms of quality. It really felt like soil. If you want to go out there and load some sometime, let me know. I could use some before winter, and we could help each other lift.
Carla

so carla, does the holly spring landfill not have a loader to help? and did you guys see the other post about rotted leaf mould in garner? can't recall who, but they're organizing a loader and we'll all split the cost on a per load basis. she'd figured on $20 a load or so. no timeline set yet that i know of. i have gotten the Raleigh stuff plenty of times, but it's only so-so in quality sometimes and i hate picking out all the trash (one time it was a whole can of bent nails! i still find those in my beds). so if holly springs is better that's awesome news. i figure rather than planting things til this drought breaks, i'm going to spend time on infrastructure and improving my soil.

Hey all,
This may be too far for it to be worth it for some, but Fayetteville agricultural landfill is ten dollars a truck load for the fine composted and they load it for you, the big shred for mulch is free, it does have some plastic shreds in it sometimes, but for free mulch, I'm not complaining.
Lisa/liznbeatle

I would have to consider the mileage and time factor. My DH can get to the Raleigh landfill and home in under 30 minutes. I'm in North Raleigh. If we plan it right I can get 2 loads for the price of one. And while it is annoying to find trash in it I am unloading it myself so I can pick it out. Some times the compost is better than other times. The last load was like black gold. And other times not so good. We also get wood chips which I use around the swing set. I'll have to see how far Holly Springs is from my house.
I saw the post about the Garner deal but it doesn't make gas sense for us. I would if we were closer.

Carla, I know that I am going to get several loads in the next month and you are welcome to some. We usually get it during the week in the morning and then I unload it during the day. Which means we could probably work something out for a weekend. Email me if you are interested in the Raleigh compost. I'd love to pick your brain about going organic. Shannon/Dirtrx

Pf, my apologies -we totally hijacked your thread. I get my mulch from the county landfill for about $18 a load. I pull up and they dump it into my trailer. I can also get wood chips and compost. I think the hours are 7-4 Monday through Saturday. I would think that Raleigh Parks and Rec utilizes this material in our local parks and greenways.

Why are you losing the mulch? Raleigh collects our yard waste every week and I am assuming that this is where they get the majority of material. Does your county collect yard waste? I hope that they reconsider their decision. While its not the cleanest I do feel that it is a good way to recycle the matereial and cut down costs. Shannon/Dirtrx

Carla/Ralph -

Where can I find more info on the Holly Springs compost? Sounds perfect!!!

Chatham Co. at landfill site did same thing for $10/scoop loaded. They started in spring until they run out which was often only a few weeks. I haven't been for a couple of years because I now get semi composted cow manure/bedding by the tandem truck load from farm near Siler City (Clark Bros. Farm) ~$110 delivered (20 miles). That is far easier and probably better and cheaper.

Even if you have to pay a small amount instead of free, it's still a good deal. The Swain and Jackson centers don't even accept yard waste, much less offer to mulch it for you. Last week-end by hubby bought this mulching attachment for a leaf blower from the big box store over in Sylva and we used it to grind up the leaves that have fallen from the 40 bajillion trees on our property. Funny it only seems like 40 million trees until the leaves fall and you can't burn them.

The compost that I use is from a place listed in the phone book as Hwy 55 C & B Landfill in Holly Springs. To get there go south on US Hwy 1 to Hwy 55 exit, then east on Hwy 55 staying on the bypass to Old Smithfield Rd. which is about 3 miles from US 1. Turn right onto old Smithfield Rd and then immediately right onto the entrance road. You pull up to a small building and pay $12.50 for a pickup truck load/cubic yard of compost. You can get mulch also for $5, but it is coarsely ground up tree limbs which I do not care for. The compost is very well decomposed yard waste from the town of Apex, and it has been consisitantly free of trash. The price includes their loading it with a loader. One thing that I like is that they are very responsive when they are loading if you ask them not to only fill your truck to a certain level. My son-in-law will not allow me to take his truck to the City of Raleigh site on Poole Rd. He bought a load there and they overfilled the truck so that he drove home on the beltline with the bumper practically dragging the ground and stuff blowing out the back. The Hwy 55 landfill is open 6 days per week and takes credit cards; however, if you are going, I recommend that you call to make sure that they have someone available to load, especially on Saturdays.