Ranch Life In Snohomish? (Seattle, Bellevue: for sale, buying a home, buying)

[bellaboone]

Looking to buy a bit of acreage to start a small farming operation and would like to be in a city outside Seattle with a bit of Western/cowboy flavor to it. I don't mean places like Republic or Winthrop, WA - too hicksville for me. I have heard Vashon Island described as "country" but I think that's a euphemism for "hippie". I can't seem to find out much about Snohomish other than its' history is that of a "river town" (if anyone knows what that means, please tell me). I have heard that cowboy-mounted shooting is a sport there, which leads me to believe there may be a Western flavor to the city. Is this true - can one find cattle ranches and people wearing cowboy hats in Snohomish, or is it simply another suburb of Seattle? Where else would someone find a little cowboy culture without going into the sticks and still being close enough (within 20 miles or so) of Seattle?

Thanks for any input!

[Seacove]

Originally Posted by bellaboone

Looking to buy a bit of acreage to start a small farming operation and would like to be in a city outside Seattle with a bit of Western/cowboy flavor to it. I don't mean places like Republic or Winthrop, WA - too hicksville for me. I have heard Vashon Island described as "country" but I think that's a euphemism for "hippie". I can't seem to find out much about Snohomish other than its' history is that of a "river town" (if anyone knows what that means, please tell me). I have heard that cowboy-mounted shooting is a sport there, which leads me to believe there may be a Western flavor to the city. Is this true - can one find cattle ranches and people wearing cowboy hats in Snohomish, or is it simply another suburb of Seattle? Where else would someone find a little cowboy culture without going into the sticks and still being close enough (within 20 miles or so) of Seattle?

Thanks for any input!

What's wrong with Texas, Wyoming, Montana or Colorado?

I have never heard of "cowboy-mounted shooting" in Snohomish which is pretty much in or on the edge of the metro.

[bellaboone]

Originally Posted by Seacove

What's wrong with Texas, Wyoming, Montana or Colorado?

I have never heard of "cowboy-mounted shooting" in Snohomish which is pretty much in or on the edge of the metro.

I suppose if I wanted to move to Texas, Wyoming, Montana or Colorado, I would have posted in those particular forums. As it happens, I want to live in Washington, where I am sure there must be acreage and ranches somewhere not far from the big city. And yes, there is cowboy-mounted shooting in Snohomish. Just don't know if it's popular enough for the city to be considered Western-centric. That's what I wanted specifically to know. Thank you.

[Seacove]

Originally Posted by bellaboone

I suppose if I wanted to move to Texas, Wyoming, Montana or Colorado, I would have posted in those particular forums. As it happens, I want to live in Washington, where I am sure there must be acreage and ranches somewhere not far from the big city. And yes, there is cowboy-mounted shooting in Snohomish. Just don't know if it's popular enough for the city to be considered Western-centric. That's what I wanted specifically to know. Thank you.

Is this true - can one find cattle ranches and people wearing cowboy hats in Snohomish, or is it simply another suburb of Seattle?

No, this is not true. Snohomish is just a suburb of Seattle. They don't wear cowboy hats and I don't know of a single cattle ranch. Not sure where you're getting your information. Snohomish is more rural than Seattle but it's just a suburb.

Where is this cowboy mounted shooting in Snohomish you speak of? Who are these cowboys exactly? Do they wear cowboy hats and therefore are "cowboys"? There's...soccer and little league and housing developments though.

Check it, brand new houses for between $500-$600K. That's a good deal in the Seattle metro.

Learn About Snohomish Homes for Sale | D.R. Horton

Twenty miles from Seattle in any direction lands you squarely in the urban core. Thirty miles north of Seattle is Everett, a city, south is the airport and east you get North Bend - all suburbs. It is more rural in Carnation and Monroe, no cattle ranches but they do have Remlinger Farms for the kids in Carnation and a race track in Monroe.

We had a guy do some work on the house that lives on the other side of the mountains and he has horses, around Cle Elum.

[Haakon]

Originally Posted by bellaboone

Where else would someone find a little cowboy culture without going into the sticks and still being close enough (within 20 miles or so) of Seattle?

Thanks for any input!

No where within 20 miles of Seattle. 20 miles from Seattle barely gets to Mill Creek or Redmond, both urban suburb bedroom communities. There really aren't cattle ranches anywhere around Seattle, a few small dairy farms, but about the only time you see anyone with a cowboy hat is at a parade or a horse show at the Evergreen Fairgrounds in Monroe.

Snohomish is a nice smallish town, about 10,000 people, but it isn't 'western'. Pretty much nothing in King/Pierce/Snohomish has much cowboy culture. You wouldn't have a problem finding people with horses 25+ miles from Seattle, but it's too densely populated for much ranching - developers buy up, pave over and build houses everywhere they can, 2 million people in King County alone take a lot of housing.

Granite Falls maybe (45 miles from Seattle), Enumclaw has a number of dairy farms (45 miles from Seattle) but neither are what anyone would call western cattle ranch towns.

Have you even been to Seattle? It's about the last place someone looking for cowboy culture should go.

[CrazyDonkey]

There are dairy farms in western Washington, but as far as I know there aren't any cattle ranches. There are places with some cows on them, but I wouldn't call them ranches. The closest you're liable to find any cowboy culture is in eastern Washington - I know that Ellensburg has horse ranches, so might have some cattle ranches as well.

[StealthRabbit]

Cannot be a 'cowboy' on a 'ranch' within 20 miles of Seattle. (Seattle is HUGE, land is EXPENSIVE, traffic is heavy)
but here is your link:
http://www.westernwashingtonmountedshooters.com/

If you have the BUCKS you can have a 'western' experience (horse boarding near town, / western riding shows / competition......)

Ellensburg is really the closest 'cowboy' culture to Seattle (AFAIK). It is mixed (university / farming town too)

If you venture to SW WA (lower prices, still west side of cascades, 20 min to Portland, OR), Battleground, WA has lots of horse people. There are several horse 'therapy' places (farms for disabled people to work with horses), where I have friends that work.

There are many appropriate towns on east side of WA (much more affordable, but usually arid)

[Seacove]

Originally Posted by StealthRabbit

Cannot be a 'cowboy' on a 'ranch' within 20 miles of Seattle. (Seattle is HUGE, land is EXPENSIVE, traffic is heavy)
but here is your link:
http://www.westernwashingtonmountedshooters.com/

If you have the BUCKS you can have a 'western' experience (horse boarding near town, / western riding shows / competition......)

Ellensburg is really the closest 'cowboy' culture to Seattle (AFAIK). It is mixed (university / farming town too)

If you venture to SW WA (lower prices, still west side of cascades, 20 min to Portland, OR), Battleground, WA has lots of horse people.

There are many appropriate towns on east side of WA (much more affordable, but usually arid)

Okay, this makes more sense (from your link) and their get-togethers are actually in Sultan, WA.

Special Ammo - Blanks

The cartridges fired are called .45 caliber Long Colts, however there is no lead projectile.
The brass cartridge is loaded with black powder. This CMSA certified load will break a balloon up to
approximately 15 feet, making this an exciting and safe spectator sport.
Live rounds are strictly prohibited at competitions.

[bellaboone]

Originally Posted by Seacove

Is this true - can one find cattle ranches and people wearing cowboy hats in Snohomish, or is it simply another suburb of Seattle?

No, this is not true. Snohomish is just a suburb of Seattle. They don't wear cowboy hats and I don't know of a single cattle ranch. Not sure where you're getting your information. Snohomish is more rural than Seattle but it's just a suburb.

Where is this cowboy mounted shooting in Snohomish you speak of? Who are these cowboys exactly? Do they wear cowboy hats and therefore are "cowboys"? There's...soccer and little league and housing developments though.

Check it, brand new houses for between $500-$600K. That's a good deal in the Seattle metro.

Learn About Snohomish Homes for Sale | D.R. Horton

Twenty miles from Seattle in any direction lands you squarely in the urban core. Thirty miles north of Seattle is Everett, a city, south is the airport and east you get North Bend - all suburbs. It is more rural in Carnation and Monroe, no cattle ranches but they do have Remlinger Farms for the kids in Carnation and a race track in Monroe.

We had a guy do some work on the house that lives on the other side of the mountains and he has horses, around Cle Elum.

This is mounted shooting in Snohomish, if you're interested: http://www.westernwashingtonmountedshooters.com. Again, don't know how popular it is. There does seem to be a couple of Western-themed stores in Snohomish, for cowboy-and-ranch related supplies, and I did find acreage for sale, a little on the expensive side for vacant land. I wouldn't be interested in buying a home there, I'm looking more into homesteading and just building up on the land. I really don't need anyone walking around going, 'Howdy, pardner' - really just looking for a rural area but still close enough to drive into Seattle for some activities. Thanks for the info!

[Hemlock140]

I agree, Ellensburg is the closest to what you want. Snohomish and Monroe are really just suburban/rural yuppie areas. They started out as the more affordable suburbs for commuting to Seattle and Bellevue, but now more and more Boeing engineers (working in Everett) and tech people wanting a little land have pretty much taken over, with new typically suburban developments. There are a few farms left but with tractors, not horseback ranchers.