Where is a good place to live in Washington State?

Where is the best place to live in Washington state for a single twenty-something interested in farming?

• I am a young woman intending to establish residency in Washington permanently. I hope to work and live on a farm, but do not want to be too far away from a young social scene. Any ...show more

• Answer:

  If you are young, female, and interested in farming, it does not matter where you live in Washington. What kind of farming are you interested in? I am in my 40's, and female. I live in Washington state. The "social scene" is what you make of it. I preferred going off by myself, with just horses and my dog and going wilderness camping back in my 20's. Had a lot of fun at the apple orchards in the Yakima area, going to BBQ's, and swimming in private swimming pools. Had fun in Ellensburg, going to college there. I grew up in Western Washington. I now live on my own permaculture farm, four miles from the ocean, up by the Canadian border. Make real sure you know what you want in life, and what you are up against, if you start dating in the farm scene. You WILL run smack into the rolls of the sexes. That means you woman, stay in house, cook, clean, and make sandwiches. He man, go out and farm, and do interesting outside things. You woman, stay inside and battle with vacuum cleaner. He farmer man, go out and hunt and fish and do interesting out door things. You woman, stay inside and mop floor. The rolls of the sexes is still alive and well in the farming sector. You also need to have a REALLY clear understand of what type of farming you are interested in being involved with. Want to live on a beautiful orchard, in a huge house, with a swimming pool....knowing they spray the orchard 18-24 times in a year with chemicals so toxic they have to wear full body suits, complete with oxygen? Want to be an oyster farmer out on the Puget Sound? How will you feel if a big ship or storm comes to shore and covers your oysters in so much silt they die? Want to raise meat goats for customers? The only thing with a 900% market...meaning for every goat you raise to market size, there are 9 customers who would like to buy it. You will NEVER have a problem selling your crop. You may have a problem leading orphaned kids you bottled raised to customers so they can be butchered. Want to be a dairy farmer? Welcome to working 24/7, 365 days a year, with a vacation about every 30 years. Welcome to helicopters hovering over your farm and taking pictures so "environmentalist" can take you to court. (No, I'm not making that up) You will be moving to the state with THE most progressive water protection laws in the Nation. Sounds like a good idea, doesn't it? Wait until you find that pond you dug, must now have a fence to keep animals 50-300 feet away! I'm not making that up. And no, it would be illegal for you to fill that pond back in. ~Garnet Permaculture homesteading/farming over 20 years Raising meat goats since 1999 I've lived in Washington since I was six years old, and been involved in the agriculture sector since I was 13 years old.