I'm moving to the Bellingham, WA area in a couple months. I haven't lived in WA since 1977 and didn't have animals then. I have goats, geese, turkeys and chickens. I plan to take them with me. I currently live in Casper, WY and need to know if there are any health hazards I need to watch out for..posionous plants, weather related problems, etc. Help greatly appreciated.

-- Deborah Bauderer (bearwaoman@Yahoo.com), March 22, 2001

Answers

Can't help with WA... Live in ID... But

If you know any of the Mitich family over there near Casper, say hi for me - they are distant relatives, and I can't find numbers to get in touch...

Thanks -

-- Sue Diederich (willow666@rocketmail.com), March 22, 2001.

I'm not from Bellingham, but plants, etc. are pretty much identical to the ones here on the Kitsap Peninsula. Nuthin' poisonous that I know of, except bracken fern, of course, but your animals would have to be starving before they touch it, so no one worries about it. There was a tansy ragwort scare in the state in 1976-1977, maybe that is why you are concerned? Turned out the tansy that grows here isn't poisonous. Of course you always have to beware of non-indigenous plants someone may have brought in. Hope this helps, and Welcome back! Kathie

-- Kathie in Western Washington (twinrosefarm@worldnet.att.com), March 22, 2001.

I moved from there in '79 but still have friends there. I don't think there's too much to be concerned about except for wet pastures and mud. Also because the Fraser River comes screaming down through the mountains up in B.C. and brings frigid artic air to Whatcom County in the winter, the B'ham area can get a lot colder than other W. Washington areas. Thus, you can get ice storms, a lot more snow, etc. Unusual in a way for a coastal area. Anyway, the growing season is different.

Only other hazards are lots of Canadian tourists (depending on exchange rate...no hazard really! no flames, please...I'm just JOKING! but more traffic and long border crossing waits) and lots of students at Western WA. Univ. for Fall-Spring quarters.

I loved it up there. Beautiful scenery, good soils, nice folks, and a university close by to keep things from getting too boring. Plus close to Vancouver B.C. (for real culture) and Seattle, if you like earthquakes, riots, etc. But since the Boeing executives are moving to either Dallas, Denver or Chicago (and hopefully taking lots of other folks too) it might settle down a bit.

Good luck to you!

-- sheepish (WA) (rborgo@gte.net), March 22, 2001.

We're not far south of Bellingham: just off I-5 at the Stanwood exit (between Everett and Mt. Vernon). My folks were raised in Bellingham and I was born there. Mostly a college (Western Washington University) and retirement town. Also a shopping mecca for Vancouverites.

We raise goats here. Our only complaint is the wetness. We probably have more problems with respiratory ailments and cocci that you experience in WY. Foot rot can also be a problem unless you have a large, well drained area and lots of cover.

Don't know of any native plants that are poisonous: just the usual landscaping plants such as rhododendron.

There is a large hispanic population just south of Bellingham in Mt Vernon area and a large middle eastern and Indian (as in India) population just north in Vancouver. Both cultures have a high demand for goat meat, so you could develop a money making venture in raising meat goats.

Look us up when you get settled. There is a good community of goat breeders in this area. We raise Nubians and are just starting a herd of Boer crosses.

Skip Walton www.sundaycreek.com Stanwood, WA

-- Skip Walton (sundaycreek@gnrac.net), March 22, 2001.