A recent question in the Rochester, Minnesota sub-Reddit asked a question even long-time residents may not be able to answer.

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I just moved here last Friday and finding info on most things has been pretty easy. However I am having a hell of a time finding out where to drop off grass clippings, branches and other plant waste. The house I moved into needs some tlc in the yard and I’m not sure where to bring the waste. Also if anyone knows where to get a rain-barrel please let me know!

There Are Two Places to Bring Yard Waste in Rochester

First, rain barrel at Mills Fleet Farm. As far as the rest, it'll soon be fall and you'll have a lot more than clippings to worry about, so here's where everything goes.

Depending on what your yard waste is, you can take it to the Olmsted County Recycling Center Compost site or Hathaway Tree Service. Here's what is allowed and not allowed at both.

Compost Site - Yard Waste Drop-Off 

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Address: Across the street from the Hazardous Waste Facility - 305 Energy Parkway NE, Rochester, MN 55906
Compost Site Hours: Open seven days a week during daylight hours
Email: pwservice@olmstedcounty.gov

Acceptable Yard Waste - Suggested Donation Rate: $5

  • Apples
  • Garden Waste
  • Beans
  • Bean vines
  • Blueberries
  • Cucumbers
  • Eggplants
  • Flowers
  • Loose leaf lettuce
  • Peas
  • Potatoes
  • Pumpkins
  • Radishes
  • Roots (if not woody)
  • Strawberries
  • Tomatoes
  • Tomato Vines
  • Watermelon
  • Zucchini
  • Grass
  • Hay (max of 10 clean bales)
  • Not to exceed 2ft x 2ft x 4ft per bale
  • Leaves
  • Sod & Uncontaminated Soil (Max of 8 cubic yards, free of rocks)
  • Straw (max of 10 clean bales, not to exceed 2ft x 2ft x 4ft per bale)

Unacceptable Yard Waste

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  • Blueberry cane
  • Branches
  • Brush
  • Fireplace ashes
  • Garbage
  • Hedge trimmings
  • Pet waste
  • Pine needles
  • Raspberry cane
  • Rocks
  • Rosebushes
  • Sawdust
  • Sweet corn & stalks
  • Tree bark
  • Tree shavings / Ground-up stumps
  • Walnuts
  • Noxious / Invasive weeds
  • Wood chips

FYI: Through March, Christmas trees can be dropped off at the Olmsted County Compost Site any day of the week during daylight hours. There is no disposal fee, but residents should remove the stand, ornaments, and lights. 

Wreaths, swags, boughs, and other evergreen decorations should be placed in a bag and thrown in the garbage to prevent the spread of an invasive species know as the Elongate Hemlock Scale―a pest that feeds on conifer trees. Do not compost.

Hathaway Tree Service Brush Dump/100% Tree Recycling 

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Address: 2555 50th Ave NW, Rochester, MN 55901
Hours: Open Monday through Saturday during daylight hours!
Directions: "Google maps is not correct, follow these directions: Directions
From West Circle Drive / County 22, at stop light, go west on Valley High Road NW / County 4. At the roundabout, go left on 50th Ave NW. Hathaway Tree is at the end of the road

Acceptable:

  • Trees
  • Branches & tree trimmings
  • Shrubs
  • Logs
  • Untreated lumber
  • Untreated landscape timbers

Unacceptable:

A nice bend in train tracks in sepia tone
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  • Treated lumber
  • Railroad ties
  • Stumps
  • Pallets
  • *Sod
  • *Grass clippings
  • *Bagged leaves
  • *Composting materials - These can go to Olmsted County Compost Site mentioned above.
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The Flannel Forecast calls for cooler and cooler nights, which means it's almost time for awesome Pumpkin Patch Pictures!

Best Pumpkin Patches and Places to Find the Perfect Pumpkin in Southeast Minnesota

If you are looking for the perfect pumpkin to help decorate for fall or to carve into an amazing Jack-o-lantern, check out the list below to see some of the best places in Southeast Minnesota selling pumpkins.

As always, if you have a comment, complaint, or concern about something I wrote here, please let me know: james.rabe@townsquaremedia.com

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