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Pinedale, WY

We just moved and I need to get the yard tore up and going this spring for pumpkins. In the past I have had acces to free cow manure and would just compost that, can't do that anymore. So I looked into getting compost and saw a price of $40 a yard, is that about right? Plus I need about 45 yards (50'x50' patch 6"s deep), so that is about $1,800 for compost. Is there another route to get compost that I should look at, or other ideas to consider? Thanks!

1/5/2011 4:27:09 PM

Polson, Montana

ND should have a lot of ranchers and farmers that would be glad to give you manure. I would try that first before buying any. Go to the local coffee shop or farm supply; you should be able to make contact with locals at either.

1/5/2011 4:46:16 PM

Frankfort Ohio

craigslist

1/5/2011 5:00:51 PM

Upa Creek, Mo

I can't help you directly, but I know the feeling. I just moved 3 weeks ago and am in the same process. $40 seems kind of high too. Everywhere I have found around here is 15 to 25 bucks and I am close to the city now. I'd shop around some more and do what Griz and Jed said.

1/5/2011 8:29:53 PM

Minnesota

I live by a horse racing track and get all the free horse manure I want.

1/5/2011 9:41:22 PM

Muddy Waters

Does your local city,town, collect leaves,ask them where they take them,You can sometimes go get them 2 years later,Just pay for trucking.craigslist is Great!!

1/6/2011 7:57:21 AM

Johnston, R.I.

Horse manure and leaves compost up well...$40 a yd is a bit to rich for me.......

1/6/2011 8:15:01 AM

Putnam Ct.

I'm with Norm and Handy. My town does leaf removal every fall so I went to my town garage, and they drop all I want for free!

1/6/2011 8:45:35 AM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

Don't go with municipal compost...you don't know what they put into it...Herbicides residuals from all those lawn clippings

1/6/2011 10:01:07 AM

President - GPC

Yup,

Find a great source of COW....if you can...HORSE is more readily available and start piling it now....add your leaves, coffee grounds all your veggie scraps, turn it....There are a couple of great books about making compost....takes work but you can find it for free....have it tested as well..Good Luck

1/6/2011 3:23:05 PM

Kentucky, U.S.A.

The wire has a gaited horse, Drumrunner78 has a barrel horse and I have a wheel barrow horse! Not as comffy and hard on the back! Got a big maple in my yard and the neighbor has some big ones that drop over here. Maybe by the time I learn some technics and good gardener habits, I'll have the soil ready to growz em big! BSD David

1/6/2011 10:24:40 PM

Kentucky, U.S.A.

The wife!

1/6/2011 10:25:02 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

BSD, the wire...is now the wife!!! Way funny!!! Peace, Wayne
Hope you make it to Richmond on 2/12!!!
PS...municipal compost place here near Owensboro, and I think it is dangerous...they mix city sludge, to help it cook!!! Ends up w/ high contents of non goodness!!! Boron, Iron...etc!!! Will never use it again!!! Peace, Wayne

1/7/2011 12:54:22 AM

Pinedale, WY

I can find manure, but I have no place to have any kind of large compost pile. I need 45 yards by begining of April. I guess I will keep shopping around and see what I can find. Then just start a small pile and keep it producing and try and keep up then. I miss living in the country, all the land I need, tractors and whatever else to flip and rotate big piles.

1/7/2011 11:46:17 AM

Buffalo, New York

craigslist.....we also have a town compost facility here....costs $19 per yard loaded....Suppose to be pretty decent stuff.

1/7/2011 6:42:19 PM

Muddy Waters

Find a old horse or cattle farm My aunt had a pile 8 to 10 years old, they were convinced it was no longer there,it had broken down into brown soil and covered in weeds.I removed weeds & found 3 to 6 feet of aged maure in a 40 feet by 40 feet area (Jackpot).I knew it was there from 10 years back,they had forgoten it.Ask farmers where they dumped 8 years ago that is what you want it has broken down all straw &saw dust by now,You will get rejected a few times but keep trying.Tell them you will give them a 500 lb kin for helping.I had mine tested it has a nit.907.4 ppm & loaded with everything else.Try craigslist aged means 2 years or older you may have to educate city slickers.

1/9/2011 1:18:54 PM

Pinedale, WY

I will keep trying, I searched Craig's list, nothing in North Dakota, but I put a listing on there. Hopefully something will come up. Thanks for all the ideas.

1/12/2011 12:05:55 PM

Muddy Waters

You can put a wanted post on craigslist,but ask for aged fresh is not good,

1/12/2011 12:50:27 PM

Seattle, WA

We put up a sign for leaf collection every year and end up with over a hundred bags of leaves that we can the compost or spread directly in our garden. Spray it with compost tea and it will speed up the decomposition process for Spring!

1/12/2011 1:07:50 PM

Spend $30 first on a good soil test, 6" is excessive in most cases. Bump starting poor soil might best be accomplished with new manure, it really depends on what you are working with.

Compost is not all the same unless you have the knowledge and make it yourself, you should get lab results before purchasing.

1/12/2011 9:25:21 PM

Pinedale, WY

I got a soil test, and my organic matter is 1.8 So Craig L told me to put in about 6" of compost. I'm basically tearing up grass in my yard, there has never been anything grown or done there before.

1/14/2011 12:20:03 PM

campbellsville ky

I found a good place to find horse manure is at your local fair grounds, if they have a lot of horse shows and rides most will let you have all you want if you have a way to haul it. may have to use a little sweat and backbone.

1/19/2011 8:44:41 PM

Littleton, Colorado

Hey Duke, try finding an independent tandem or end-dump truck owner in your area. They will know good sources for good finished compost at a decent price. Check with several of em'. A tandem should be able to haul 12 to 16 cu. yds. per load. I wish you still lived within shoutin' distance of Littleton so I could haul some for you! Good luck in North Dakota. That ought to be in the "orange belt". It probably won't hurt a thing to be at least 4000 feet lower in elevation for growing something big too! Take care,
Barry

2/8/2011 3:56:19 AM