This is an opportunity to get as much as you want of some high quality compost in the LA area. I am sure the centers like this exist in other cities as well.

http://www.lacitysan.org/srpcd/MC_griffithPark.htm

They reuse Zoo manure, Griffith park green trimmings and a small amount of City biosolids for it. They claim it is tested by a State certified laboratory and meets US EPA Rule 503 guidelines for pathogen destruction and vector attraction and reduction requirements.

Pick up locations:
http://www.lacitysan.org/srpcd/pdf/mulch_giveaway-map.pdf
http://www.lacitysan.org/srpcd/pdf/mulch_giveaway.pdf

"Biosolids" is the "politically correct" term for sewer sludge. Personally, I don't want that on my food or even my weeds. I avoid Kellogg's soil products because they use sewer sludge in some of them.

I imagine many commercial farmers use it so I guess I can't avoid it all but at least I can keep it out of my yard.

There's some guy in Japan that developed a way to make "meat" out of human excrement. I don't plan on eating that, either.

Good to know, Waiting!

our city sells this 'sterco', and specifically recommends for lawns and flower beds only.

L.A. City Dept Sanitation sells the Earth Machine Composters and Worm Bins for a large discount. I just found this out, although I'm new here & many probably already know that.

 http://www.lacitysan.org/solid_resources/recycling/composting/index.htm

 I live in the San Fernando Valley and am always looking for ways to garden organically. I'm so glad to find this Board!

Greetings to all, Wendy

Welcome, Wendy!  You might want to start a new thread saying hi so we can all welcome you properly.

Welcome to the forum, Wendy! 
Good to see one more fig loving person from the SoCal!

The Miramar landfill in San Diego has free mulch too. Problem is I have no truck to haul it and it's a 50-mile round trip so not cost effective. I need about 5 dump trucks full.

Welcome Wendy!

Sue

OUr local landfill has free mulch (not compost). We can either go pick it up ourselves, or arrange for a fast delivery. While the mulch itself is free, the delivery charge for a dump-truck load of several yards is $40. If you have a larger property/ranch, you can have a large double truckload/trailor delivered for I think $100.

We seem to always have a partial load on the driveway that we keep hacking away at. Just about everything not moving gets mulched. It looks very nice and really saves on both watering and weeding.

It's a great service.

I get an unlimited amount of free mulch delivered to my home courtesy of my electric company.  It is the line trimmings which are better as it is the smaller limbs ground up and leaves so there is more nitrogen in it.  Call your electric company and see if they deliver.  The county dump charges them $100-200 (it is based on weight) per truckload to take the wood chips so you are doing them a favor taking it.  Sometimes they come from 40 miles to drop it off.

I don't know about the electric company here, but local tree trimmers often have loads of ground wood chips they are willing to deliver for free. Look in the yellow pages and start calling. Otherwise, as WillsC says, they have to pay to dump them. at the landfill.

I do prefer the mulch from the dump however. Neither has viable weed seeds, but the mulch from the dump is finer and decomposes faster. That suits my needs better.

I've signed up with every tree trimmer business that offers to drop off their trimmings. So far nada...guess I'm too far out in the boonies. I'll check with the electric company. Thx.

Sue, 
I think you are correct, you are too far from civilization :)
I called in LA, no problem, but I am in a city.