I have a small acreage littered with leaves ripe for composting. Problem is, DH and I both work FT and don't have enough time to hand rake the entire place but can't seem to find a suitable alternative. We tried renting a leaf vacuum, but it really wasn't all the effective on a place our size and seemed like almost as much work as hand raking. I like the 'lawn sweep' that you pull behind your lawn tractor, but DH doesn't think it will work very well. Does anyone have any experience with these? Any other suggestions?

Celeste

If there is grass under the leaves, I mow/mulch it in place. I never remove leaves from my turf. In fact, I blow leaves from the driveway and street onto the grass before I mow.

If there is no grass under the leaves, why not leave them where they are?

My neighbor has one and sweeps the neighborhood for me. All the neighbors like it! Once it's full it turns into a blower out the opening on top. Get one from Sears and try it out. Satisfaction guaranteed or return it. Don't wait too long like I did with the lawnmower.

Dirt

We're on our second one! Ours is a pull-behind primarily for grass clippings, but we use it in the fall, too. Mow over those leaves a time or two to get them real fine, then sweep them up and deposit directly into the garden. Works great! This one was about $125 from Tractor Supply, I think. It tips to dump, but the blower thing sounds interesting too.
In the summer, you'll find those grass clippings really valuable as mulch around the plants -- or flowers. I also use them for chicken bedding. Makes your lawn look tidy, too. We have spots so heavy that the clippings would smother the grass underneath.

Thanks all...I will take this to DH to make a case for a sweep.

I bought an Agrifab pull-behind lawn sweep a year ago and consider it the best money I ever spent on a "gadget" for my yard and garden. I have 2 1/2 acres, mowing the majority of it and find the sweep invaluable in getting grass clippings for mulch in the mowing season, picking up leaves for winter composting and cleaning up sticks and trash in the spring before mowing season starts. It even picks up most of the black walnuts that fall in my yard from a neighbor's tree (quite a mess to do by hand). I just had my house roofed and am hoping that I will be able to pick up most of the trash left by the roofer next spring before mowing season starts. I highly recommend this "gadget" as a huge time, and back, saver.