Got a dumpsite?

[Nathan]

Does anyone have experiences with finding dumpsites. I would love to hear any fresh ideas. Currently we do most of our dumping at one of our LOL's property. She has a bunch of acreage with blackberries, so we just back the truck up and bury 'em. We got permission from her when we lost our old spot and told her if we could dump we would mow her for free from now on. The only problem is that she is convenient only about half of the week due to location.
We don't have any other customers with the same situation, so I wanted to know if anyone has done any wheeling and dealing with farmers or put out classified ads.

You can never have too many dump sites!!!

 

[thelawnguy]

What are you dumping?

My tree guy runs a perpetual ad for free wood chips.

Sometimes in the 'burbs you find a lot with a "clean fill wanted" sign out front-clean means no paper right?

Usually though I bite the bullet and pay the 75/ton tipping fee at the municipal landfill. Just add it to the cost of doing business.

 

[Nathan]

We operate in Washington state and have to bag almost everything. Therefore we collect grass very quickly. We do take stuff to yard waste recyclers when we have to but if we can save money why not!

 

[MOW ED]

I feel real lucky and I'm not rubbing it in but my city has a compost site 1 mile from home that is open 24hrs. They have 2 areas, 1 for grass and yard debris, 1 for trees and brush. The city composts all lawn waste and reuses the cooked stuff. The tub grinder comes a couple of times a year and grinds all the wood to shreads. I don't know what I'd do without it.

 

[CCLC]

Ask some local farmers that are close to you and look for wood recyclers. I have used farmers in the past but they don't like the quantity of leaves that dump. They said it was too much. We've started using a recycling place here in town. They are cheap ($2.00 per yard) and are closer than any of the farms.

 

[RYAN]

I got lucky This year and found out about a guy who owns a soil farm and lets all the lawn companies dump there for free. He then composts it and sells it as top soil. Works out for both of us I guess. If it weren't for that I would have to drive a lot farther and pay $10 a dump.

 

[Jim White]

Check with your local sand and gravel pit owners. The one's in my area (Western MA) allow us to dump for free as long as we dedicate our landscape supply business to them It works out pretty good because sometimes we're dropping off debris and picking up mulch or landscape rock for the next day's job. The only draw back is closing time. During the week they close at 5:00 on Saterday at 3:00, and Sunday their closed. Which means sometimes leaving the stuff in the truck and trailer over the weekend for a Monday morning drop.

 

[mowerguys]

I have a friend that has an acrage about 5 miles from my house. he lets me dump on the edge of the shelter belt and then we burn the pile. that is for branches. as for leaves in the fall. we back up in the the field and dump. we spread it out thin and then he will disk it in the spring it works great. try to find a farmer or someone who just live 5 or 10 miles out of town.

 

[Twotoros]

I too am in E.Wash-state . In the past I have dumped in farmers apple orchards but it is harder to find them willing as of late . This season I went to the recyclers at the landfill but that is an hour of my time I feel I don't receive compensation . I mulch 80% of the time . My customers would not be pleased to know this fact. I have lost customers for that reason. Too many like bagging . Too much of my competion bags, probably 75%. Bagging takes 25-50% longer when you include dumping. I try to educate my customers that mulching is good . They tune me out and look at me as if I were lazy. Next year the hammer drops. I will bag all that will pay more,otherwise it will be mulch city. I will lose 20% of my customer base if not more.
This issue is probably my biggest problem followed by low prices in my area . Help! Mr. Wizard, Help!

 

[Lawn Cruiser]

My city has a compost site at the landfill. Not only do they let me dump any compostable materials for free, they also give me credit for each of them and if I need any compost or wood chips each time I dump a load I get a stamp on a card and after 10 loads I get $10 off compost that I buy.