CHAPEL HILL — Old hands at gardening know the magic of compost -- it leavens the soil and increases yields, whether flowers or vegetables. And the price is right: if you create it yourself, it is virtually free.

A number of home owners already have discovered this, and many of them stopped by the Orange Community Recycling compost bin sale Sunday.

Using compost in the garden is a win-win formula for the town of Chapel Hill and its homeowners.

"The town wins because we're not sending food waste and yard waste to the landfill, and the homeowner wins because they have a finished compost to use on their garden and help their lawns," said Molly Beacham of Orange Community Recycling.

Today's sale was also a way to incorporate art and recycling. A clever brown bear was made of corrugated cardboard and a dog was created primarily of recycled newspapers.