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Old 10-22-2010, 02:29 PM
 
Location: North Western NJ
6,591 posts, read 24,816,802 times
Reputation: 9681

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you may have seen some of my other posts scattered across the entire forum, ive been looking for a place to relocate to for the past 2 years...

over the past few months ive narrowed it down to colorado, tennessee (eastern) and Washington...
and for many reasons from weather to scenery i just keep comming back to wa as the state for me...

i started my search on the western side of the state, particularly around olympia...but land seems expensive and sparce...then reacently my searching brought me to the eastern side...and...to spokane...

see heres the deal...

im a 25 yr old young woman who spent her early years on a small farm in england...i moved to connecticut when i was 16 and while the state has much good...its just not for me anymore...
the weather is horrible most of the year...

but...you say...spokane has harsh winters...ive read this...and im absolutly sure its true...BUT from everythign im reading the area has CRISP winters, it may have 6 ft of snow, but the days are bright and sunny and if you dress for it you can enjoy the outdoors even on the snowiest days...
here in ct its the opposite, winters are not only cold and snowy...but worse, damp, its the kind of chill that no matter how many layers it just seeps to the bone and ice storms YICK!

but...you say...the PNW is WET!!! and, quite truthfully...i MISS the rain...
weve had some wetness here in ct this year which has been fine...
but im from the UK, particularly manchester...where were known for being born under umberellas and having webbed feet :P rain, grey skys and drizzle are fine.

i do have one question reguarding summers though...
humidity!?
i can stand hot, i can stand cold, i can stand rain and drizzle...what i cant stand is humidity...im talking the sticky just got out of the shower and cant dry off kind...
it may not get southern hot here in ct but the summers are miserable, humidity humidity humidity...i cant do anything outdoors in the summer because its so dang sticky! id like to avoid that and hear the area, while damp, is not terribly humid in the summer...is this true?

im looking particulatly for a small (under 1000sqft) home on some acreage of scrub to raise a few dairy goats...
and...i might have found it...
not IN spokane of course but in chattaroy...
if me and the owner can work out some terms on finaincing or rent...

yes i know...'out there' but im ok with that...see i want to be away from it all...neighbors are great as long as theres some distance...as long as im within an hour or so drive to conveniences like a larger corcery store, feed store and hospital/drs of some sort im happy.

i work form home too so thats not a big deal, though i wouldnt turn down a part time or seasonal 'job" in the animal care feild (im kinda hoping if i bother the cat tails zoo in mead enough theyll eventually let me help out there, and no im not expecting to get paid lol)

im more interested in being a little more self reliant, raising my own food for me and my dogs and enjoying the 'farming' life...(ive checked the planting zones and the area is perfect for what im looking to grow )

so...whats the though? might the spokane area work for me and what i want to do in life? (which quite honestly isnt much lol)
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Old 10-22-2010, 06:20 PM
 
Location: Arvada, CO
13,827 posts, read 29,859,427 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by foxywench View Post
but...you say...spokane has harsh winters...ive read this...and im absolutly sure its true...BUT from everythign im reading the area has CRISP winters, it may have 6 ft of snow, but the days are bright and sunny and if you dress for it you can enjoy the outdoors even on the snowiest days...
I haven't spent a winter in Spokane, but I believe this is NOT the case. From what I understand, winters in Spokane are dark, dreary, cold, and rather snowy. I doubt the sun is seen much (for that, you'd have to move to Colorado).

Spokane is not humid during the summer. Western WA can be, but it only gets truly hot once in a blue moon.
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Old 10-23-2010, 09:00 AM
 
Location: North Western NJ
6,591 posts, read 24,816,802 times
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well i wouldnt actually be IN spokane, id be about 45 mins north if things go well, im led to belive once you get out of the city the greyness lifts.

i have also been looking at co but the water issues concern me being i want a small farm and cant afford to live in the mountains or western side.
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Old 10-23-2010, 12:17 PM
 
Location: Nebuchadnezzar
968 posts, read 2,059,152 times
Reputation: 348
Quote:
Originally Posted by foxywench View Post
well i wouldnt actually be IN spokane, id be about 45 mins north if things go well, im led to belive once you get out of the city the greyness lifts.

i have also been looking at co but the water issues concern me being i want a small farm and cant afford to live in the mountains or western side.

Spokane is not dark and grey, Seattle is very much so.

Good luck in your new adventure.
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Old 10-23-2010, 02:39 PM
 
Location: Southern California
3,455 posts, read 8,326,183 times
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I haven't spent all winter here yet....but the dark, dreary gray stuff I hear mostly from people who have not had winter in midwest or eastern states. I believe it is probably dark, dreary and gray for Californians, or Texans, or other more mild and sunny places. I heard another poster say she wears her sunglasses year round.

I think it is probably relative, for someone from England...I'm doubting it will be too dark, dreary or gray.

I've only been here a little more than a week but I've already used more hand and body lotion than I ever used in the midwest. I wasn't even going to bring it because I never get dry skin.

I got dry skin immediatley (of course I drove through the west to get here) but it's obviously a drier climate, even though it is a little rainy today.

Anyway, your plan sounds awesome, I'm kind of jealous, I know nothing about farming but I would love to try to live that life you explain in your post, sounds so idyllic! Can you visit?

For me personally, the most beautiful and ideal place that I saw on my way here was in Southwest Montana. Idaho was nice too but Montana is more my speed (I like more horizons than being blocked in completley by pine trees and hills). Spokane and the surrounding area is nice because it's a little flatter and you can get some nice horizons without having to bury yourself into the side of a hill (Which some people love). I'm from Illinois, I like to have some wide open spaces! But it's nice to see the smallish mountains in the distance. It's also quite green, with plenty of other types of trees for some nice fall color.
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Old 10-23-2010, 07:40 PM
 
Location: North Western NJ
6,591 posts, read 24,816,802 times
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thank you rgb and shigchow...

ive had alot of people from places like cali tell me how grey and dreey the entirety of WA can be...
but i also wonder how many of those have lived somewhere where the weather is even more miserable. lol.

im realy hoping this could be the area for me (i like montanna too)

the homesteading life is definatly a special kind of life, its hard work, sometimes painfull, and definatly not going to make you rich...but in the end...if its the kind of life you enjoy...theres nothing more rewarding than delivering a baby goat, or the taste of real fresh eggs, or preparing a meal with vegatables and fruits youve grown yourself.

right now we have about 1/4 acre at my parents house and raise a few chickens...i cant tell you how much i miss being further involved with the land i live on...
though anyone can be a mini homesteader if theyve got a backyard or deck to put some pots on...start small, grow some of your own veggies...
look into your local zoning and if its legal get a couple of hens for eggs ect...everyone can do it on some scale

im HOPING if things work out, to take a visit to the area in early-mid november, wont be a long trip, ive got a cat, 2 dogs and 2 parrots that need me lol...but even if i can just get to the area for a long weekend just to take a look around.
theres a property im actually looking at which the owner might be willing to finaince or work out a rent to own for me but we have to see what happens.

(and youd be more than welcome to come by once im all set up to see how things on a homestead work...dont be suprised if i have you milking goats within an hour lol)
i think its an option, especially in this economic climate...that alot more people should be looking into, even if only on a small scale, providing some of your own food, even if only a little, is a good just in case.
and lets face it, anoyone with a deck can grow some tomatoe and pepper plants
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Old 10-24-2010, 05:38 AM
 
Location: Spokane Valley, WA
33 posts, read 128,443 times
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I too recently moved to Spokane (Valley), & this will be my first winter here. Moved from the Seattle area, & the weather here has been much more to my liking.....alot more sunshine, warm to hot dry summers, etc. A prior poster mentioned Seattle's humidity, but compared to the midwest & eastern states there's no comparison.....barely noticeable! Even so, Spokane area is drier still.
I'm also originally from England, but actually grew up in Australia from age eleven & have lived in the U.S. (SE Idaho, & Washington) for most of the past twenty years. Come for a look around if you can, I think you'll be pleased with what you find.
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Old 10-24-2010, 02:02 PM
 
Location: N Yorkshire
1 posts, read 1,983 times
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Soon to move to the Spokane area myself (already own a house outside town). Grew up in W Wash. but have spent most of the last 30 years outside of the US. Currently live near Harrogate in the UK...not that far from Manchester. I have more experience living in Ellensburg (West of Spokane). There is no real humidity in WA. Possibly on a real unusual day there could be some, but nothing compared to a place that actually gets some (spent 5 years in Okinawa....humid). I am moving there with my UK wife...if for no other reason than to get decent summers. I like it here, but N England is not known for good weather....pretty scenery, yes.....good weather no. Chattaroy isn't that far out of Spokane....unless you are off the main road a ways.
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Old 10-26-2010, 08:13 PM
 
Location: Lakeside
5,266 posts, read 8,718,003 times
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Compared to the midwest and eastern states, Spokane is bright and sunny in the winters...and the humidity is very low in both winter and summer.

If you're interested in the homesteading lifestyle, you should check out homesteadingtoday.com
My family and I have been living this lifestyle for the past (almost) 9 years...we were completely off-grid for 7 years.
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Old 10-29-2010, 09:55 AM
 
Location: Spokane, WA
67 posts, read 185,290 times
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I've lived in Spokane for around 8 years and am originally from New England myself. What surprised me when I first moved here, from Seattle, was FOUR seasons! As I write this, I have five trees worth of colorful maple leaves to rake up.
Winters can be very cold and dry, but no worse than New England. Don't think that it will be bright sunshine day after day all winter though. There's plenty of grey in winter, but quite a bit of sun too. Much like northern New England I think. But yes, crisp in terms of temps that can get down into the single digits.
Spokane summers are very dry. I know what you mean about humidity back east but it's not like that here at all. It can get into the high 90s here in the summer but it's very tolerable to me because of the lack of humidity. I actually like the heat out here.
I've thought of living "up north" as well, but not for farming. Just to be a hermit. :-) If you want to be "out there" but would like the services of a small town then the Chewelah or Colville areas might be good for you. Colville is pretty nice, and both have farm land and mountains all around. I'm pretty fond of Republic myself but that's an entirely different climate there - much more towards the "desert" side of things (but not desert) than in the Spokane longitudes.
I think you'll like it here. Welcome.
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