A good place to find very inexpensive local wood is a place that sells firewood. Someone mentioned that you live in Washington state. In Western Wash. most firewood is alder, some will be maple. Not much character in alder but a very nice wood to turn. In eastern Wash. you might find fruit wood. Apple, cherry etc.
Here in Arizona if I go to a firewood sales place I'll find mesquite, pine, juniper, citrus and palo verde. Prices are very low because it's priced by the cord. A pile of wood 4 x 4 x 8 ft.
On Del Stubbs advice, I once went to a fireplace wood lot in Chico Ca. where he lived. Most of the wood was walnut. I even found some claro walnut.
Wally