I'm moving to just north of Spokane, Washington in a coupla months. Rather than depending on mail order and stock yards, I would like to be able to buy my animals from farmers in the area.

Anybody in the Spokane area?

What might be some good resources out there?

-- Paul Wheaton (paul@javaranch.com), February 20, 2001

Answers

Response to Spokane, Washington

hi Paul,

We live in Sandpoint Idaho...about 1 1/2 hours to Spokane. We have goats, bunnies and chickens. I only buy from local farmers that I know. Going to the local restaurant where the farmers hang out is a good place to start.

What are you looking for in particular?

-- Cher Rovang (fullcircle@nidlink.com), February 20, 2001.

Response to Spokane, Washington

I'll be looking for pigs, cows and chickens. Maybe a Great Pyrenees (sp?) dog. Maybe a couple of shire horses.

Plus lots of manure and straw.

Is it easy to find the breeds you want? Or do you often settle on breeds?

-- Paul Wheaton (paul@javaranch.com), February 20, 2001.

Response to Spokane, Washington

I just looked up Sandpoint, Idaho and I see that we're on the road between you and Spokane. So I guess it would be only an hour from you to me.

What breeds of chickens do you keep?

-- Paul Wheaton (paul@javaranch.com), February 20, 2001.

Response to Spokane, Washington

Paul,

I've lived in three states now and the best place to get info on the local farms is the feed store, talking to the people and looking at the bulletin boards. The feed store people know most of the farmers around. You can usually find the "free" or low cost local farm trade papers there also. Good Luck

-- Stacia in OK (oneclassycowgirl@aol.com), February 21, 2001.

Hi Paul, I live about 25 miles from Cher, in Priest River. I have a friend who knows a lot more about pigs than I do,(horses,too. she even does AI on the pigs. E mail me privately and I will give you her phone number if you like.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), February 21, 2001.

Welcome, Paul! We live in Colville, about 1 1/2 miles north of Spokane. There are lots of organic farmers up here. Before we moved here someone tried to discourage us by saying it's too hard to grow anything this far north. Ha! Lots of orchards, organic gardens, cows, pigs you name it. We know 2 farmers with sheep, pigs, Highland cattle, etc. If you will be near here, let me know when you get moved in & I'll get you names & phone numbers. Good luck and God bless!

Bonnie

-- Bonnie Stichart (stichart@plix.com), February 22, 2001.

And we live another 45 minutes north of Colville, that would be 2 1/2 or so hours north of Spokane. We raise a bit of everything, but sell weiner pigs twice a year, meat rabbit breeding stock (or fryers) , beef, lamb, ducks, and lots of wool! We are both hand spinners, and our sheep breeds reflect that and our interest in old, hardy breeds. We have a few nice ewe lambs that would be good starters or additions to existing flocks. Jacobs, primarily right now, easing into Icelandics. Contact us if you plan to come up this way!

-- Fran Ogren (trumpkinland@plix.com), July 05, 2001.