ATTN. Washington State BYCers!! Quality of life there? I NEED to move!

[Crest Acres Girl]

Hi guys, Havnt posted in a long long while. Lots have happened since I've been gone. I need you guys' help for those who live or lived in Washington state what do you think? Pros and Cons? I've about had it in Cali! Sooooo many restrictions and regulations. I like nice quiet bountiful life, not so much the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles. I cant even keep roosters or male goats which really bugs the crap outa me. Just the other day we got a ticket from parkin in front of our house...what the crap!?

And we have too many dogs (4), it was either surrender them to animal control or get a felony and possible prison time...REALLY?

Prison time for dogs...wasnt even allowed to give them away because they were "evidence" Anyways enough ranting there's many reasons why I'm really beginning to dislike California.

I really dont mind the rain, its sooo dry here..I have to water EVERYTHING to keep anything green! I'd love to have more land for my animals and garden. I'd give up the sun any-day to have free resources (water, prob not solar energy..wind energy perhaps? or water turbine if near a river) found a 150acre for 600k complete with cheese caves, river, forest, and 2 barns

A little about myself and my family, maybe you guys can tell me if we'd fit in in Washington.

I'm studying to be a Naturopathic Doctor, also majoring in psychology, as well as getting my Business degree. My husband and I own our own business, we export and distribute health foods (mostly organic and non gmo products; coconut oil, flaxoil, flaxseeds, chia seeds, culinary spices sugars and salts etc. ) all over the world so we ship alot of product out mostly through plane but we do ship out through boat as well.
We are absolutely determined to educate America about health, foods, and the truth about our food industry.

I plan to have goats, chickens, pigs(maybe), cows(maybe), horses or mules. Garden is important to me. Self sufficiency is important to me. Access to be able to to international trade is also important (our main source of income)

Please someone tell me if it's a good idea for us to begin planning our move. We will definitely visit a few times first, would love to meet some Washington-ers though!

 

[lovinchickypoos]

Washington is quite different east to west. I have grown up on the very dry but sunny east side where you still have to water to keep things alive. We have tons of Sun but wind comes with it, especially in the spring. Towards the west you have less Sun but more rain and temps stay more mild. Here around the Tri-Cities we could certainly use more N.D.'s and local organic products! I live in Kennewick outside city limits and can have whatever animals I wish here. I do wish there was a bit more ti do recreationally but there is easy access to the Columbia River, which can be nice. Cost of living seems to be quite reasonable also!

 

[AletaG]

Hmm... You'd get good access to shipping, etc. from Seattle area, but never get acreage for what you are saying. The Peninsula culturally if close to Port Townsend or Poulsbo would probably be a good fit, but it's a very long drive, or ferry ride to Seattle. Depends how often you need to be physically in a major port.

Where was this property you were considering? If it's in Forks or way East of the Cascade mountains, that's not going to fit for your overseas shipping thing.

Also, you may want to PM regarding the political climate. Regulations are better pretty much anywhere outside of CA, but that doesn't mean it's smooth sailing in WA. And we do get grumpy when people get here 'cause they are running away from something, then promptly start voting/agitating to make it just as bad as where they came from...

Good luck!

 

[beausonge]

Hi Crest Acres Girl,

I grew up in Walla Walla which is in the southwestern part of Washington state. It has 4 seasons, cold winters and hot summers. When I was growing up, it was all wheat farming. Now it is all vineyards. As a young adult, I loved the fabulous gardens I had - I could even grow watermelon. The corn was to die for.. and did I mention the Walla Walla sweet onions? The soil is rich and fertile. Walla Walla has a very good medical community and I would think a naturopathic physician would be well received. The economy now revolves around the wine industry and tourism with farm to table foods being very popular.

I now live in southwestern Washington state in a town called Longview. Absolutely cannot recommend - the economy is very depressed, drugs and the crime that goes with it is rampant, jobs are scarce, and the land is very hilly. The rain and the short growing season make it difficult to garden. It is probably better in northwestern Washington but I have never lived there. I live here because I married a wonderful man who has lived here all his life.

Hopefully others can give imput on where they live.

 

[lovinchickypoos]

Just had to fix your typo, beausonge...Walla Walla is southEastern WA
I love going to plays they have there and they seem to get less wind than the Tri-Cities too! It would be nice to be close to the Blue Mountains.

 

[Crest Acres Girl]

Thanks for all the replies! We don't really need to physically be at a port. Just occasionally . So probably leaning towards Western Washington area.

 

[beausonge]

Just had to fix your typo, beausonge...Walla Walla is southEastern WA

I love going to plays they have there and they seem to get less wind than the Tri-Cities too! It would be nice to be close to the Blue Mountains.

Ha!Ha! Glad you caught that!

 

[DenverDawg]

I live in Carnation on 20+ acres and can do what I want within King County (Seattle) limits which is pretty open - the city of Seattle is very tight but I had a previous neighbor that started the Goat Justice League for city goats (I don't know the goat restrictions, I moved out of the city to unincorporated Carnation). The King Conservation District is a real good resource (within King County).
Your business would be okay here (Seattle, Eastside & Bellingham being your number one markets probably) but you will get a lot of the same Cali type employee regs. If you don't have employees then you will enjoy no income tax for an LLC. The farmers markets are fairly strong and a DO can find work in most any area of Wet Washington.
The rain is not bad, it's the grey skies and low clouds. Walking around the misty mornings is awesome sometimes because you might see a monster Blacktail buck or elk - sometimes it's a cougar or bobcat coming for your chickens so it balances out ;-)

 

[SweetSilver]

You don't need to be in WW to have good access to shipping (unless it's an actual *ship*).

And while you don't have to water year-round, our summers are incredibly dry all over most of the state, even in emerald-green WW. Native plants have had several thousand years to adjust to dry summers. Pasture grasses and garden plants, not so much. But nothing like California.

As far as WW, Grays Harbor has farm land on its eastern edge, but usually in WW farmland=floodsville, and GH is no exception. But the laws are fairly laid back (though the complaining neighbors still exist) and the property is relatively cheap. Our weather, however, is more coastal than inland, so that means more cloudy days. (You see, it's not the rain that gets to us, it's the clouds, even for us diehard WW Slugs.) Also, because of fewer people and less development on the whole, water rights issues in GHC are not as intense as in the more populous or intensely agricultural counties, east or west.

Eastern WA is nice, too. It is very different. Different political climate. Different climate, period. And watch out for those Yakima drivers, they drive like no one else is on the road. ACK!

Really nice folks, but they like to whine about us WWers a lot. Meanwhile, we in WW often forget that they exist. (Hmmm, perhaps reason for the complaints!?) Communities near an interstate corridor (I-90, I-82, I-5) are going to get you the shipping you need, EW or WW. You could even count certain points along the Columbia because truckers will use I-84 in Oregon as their E-W corridor. Heck, you might even look into north-central Oregon communities as well.

But you can find similar people and laws everywhere. The more urban, suburban, usually the more laws (and certainly more neighbors to anger), but even Seattle allows some farm animals--more than many other communities in fact. I would venture to say that municipalities tend to have more liberal farm animal laws than developments with covenants.

I would definitely decide what would work for your business first, climate second, livable laws third.

 

[Crest Acres Girl]

My husband and I are absolutely in LOVE with this house! http://www.redfin.com/WA/Tulalip/11706-Marine-Dr-98271/home/2491848

Lol please dont buy it or we will come over everyday asking you to sell it..we know where you live...

For the Business, we actually ship most of our things out of Los Angeles. We dont even see the products. Our shipper guy picks it up from manufacturers across USA and ships it over seas. Only thing is sometimes we need to repackage some products. Can be easily accommodated. My dream job is to help others so psychology and Naturopathy seems to be the path for me.

1. Anyone know the area pretty well? Good area? Schools? Would it be good to start a small scale urban farm type thing here to achieve self sufficiency?

2-3 goats, a dozen or two chickens( I was going to say 6 but we all know that wont stay that way

), pigs, a cow or are we suppose to get cow friends for the cows? horse or mule..

2. Solar/wind energy possibility? I wonder if they have well water rights (but that's pretty much everywhere in washington right?). I dont know though the property looks too foresty. I can get a larger property, smaller house, but more usable land for the same price.

College of choice would be Bastyr University and Washington State.


I wouldnt say we would be running from our problems. I've been hearing alot of Californians moving out to Washington. But I feel as if I'm moving home than anything new. Every website I read of the cons was not a problem whatsoever for me. Also my husband is from Ohio and grew up in the country so when he read about people thinking the rain is a problem...he laughed. He liked Cali but the lifestyle just didnt seem to fit him. Too many regulations, too in your face and the cops are not very nice.

Cons:

Seattle Freeze- I dont even know why people say this but many up there are super friendly that I've met.

Weather- I love drizzles, I love rain, I love feeling alive when the clouds lift and the sun shines through.

Traffic- I'm from LA...I can deal with traffic plus we dont go out much. We're a family of introverts, we are reserve and like to stay to ourselves with the occasional best friend or two.



Pros:

Gastronomical! Considers to be best in USA.. Food..Food..I love food, I love cooking, I love experimenting with food!! I love fresh organic artisan carefully crafted foods

Like minded- well kinda, I'm not an extreme lefty nor very right winged. More of an independent Soon to be a state where labeling of GMO will be required

2 hrs from my grandmother (vancouver BC)

away from the cali heat..I HATE hot weather more than freezing to death.

Since it rains so much we can have a reservoir to water over the summer.



Anymore you guys can enlighten me on that would be awesome