I use a 4-tine straw/manure fork with a full length handle. It's sort of an oversized pitchfork, and the tines are wider at the tip so material doesn't bind. It lets me stab into a pile of branches or sunflower stalks and lift/drag them where they need to go.
The other method is to pile stuff on a beat up plastic tarp and drag it. This works better with two people.
I now have a
tractor with forks, but unless it's a big job I don't bother. The 4-tine fork is faster.