Cocoa Mulch! Best source/price in Hershey PA?

I really love cocoa mulch for indoor pots, and I think it would be good to use on foundation beds, also. (We don't have a dog, and neighborhood pooches are well contained or accompanied, so I'm not really concerned about some dog with a taste for it getting into problems.)

A good friend of mine is visiting Hershey for a couple of days before coming down to see us. I figured she could snag me a little bag for houseplants pretty much anywhere, but then I wondered if I could find a place to purchase a larger quantity that she could perhaps pick up for me.

Does anybody have a good (read, "cheap" or at least "less expensive") source for it? Preferably one that's not too far from the park or at least potentially along their way as they head south to Frederick?

Thanks!!

Hey Critter, We don't use cocoa mulch but I can check around when I get back home. If no one else comes up with some for you.

Thanks, Holly/Ric! I know I could start calling around, but I don't know which nurseries are likely to be good sources and which are $$$ places, LOL.

I really don't even know what a "good" price would be. ? Any online sources seem to regard it as a classy specialty item. :-)

I am not sure that they still bring the cocoa beans up here with shell for processing, to Hershey.

I've found several references (which seem current) to both the park and homeowners in the area mulching with the cocoa bean shells, so I think they're still readily available. I guess we'll find out!

Critter, I've never used it, so don't have a source for it. Maybe Mike would know.

Thanks, Stormy... I'll keep asking around, and maybe somebody who has a good source will spot this thread. :-)

Hi Critter, I looooooooove cocoa mulch too and it is really hard to come by nowadays. Years ago, it was plentiful, and was even sold readily at Home Depot stores. We have a dog, but she never bothered with the mulch. I recently interviewed a rep from Hershey about their Children's garden...I didn't even think of asking her about their mulch...

I'll go back and ask =)

Thank you!

Down in San Antonio I saw pecan shell mulch in the Master Gardeners garden. Thought that was neat. Locally using what's available. .

Jill , The Hershey web site says they no longer sell cocoa mulch. They still process a lot of chocolate here but I'm unsure as to the cocoa processing. It's probably more cost effective to do the bulk process closer to the source or port and ship the "butter". I will look into it after we get home. Ric

OH! WOOHO WE GOT FREE WIFI IN THE COMPLEX

Thanks, Ric!

Hope you're having a great time... happy dancing with you over the free WIFI!

Critter, You should try Ebay.

Critter, Mike wrote back with these places.

http://agmap.psu.edu/Search/index.cfm?q=cocoa%20mulch&catalog=bus&mode=adv&spatial=county

http://www.lgyp.com/brochure.asp?c=354386

Thanks very much!!