Olympic Peninsula, Brinnon

Hey, my father and I are looking to get some land out on the eastern Olympic Peninsula. We have found some beautiful agreage in Brinnon but my concern is that it might get really lonley for my dad when someday im not living there. Does anyone have any expierence living near Brinnon or a story about moving from the city out to the peninsula?

Dylan Gillies

Hi and welcome.

I grew up in Hoodsport on the Hood Canal. This is an area I love a great deal. At the bottom of this post you will see a link to another comment stream from a Carol Ochs from San Diego. She is looking to move to the east side of the Hood Canal. On that comment stream I put in a bunch of stuff about the Hood Canal and area.

While the area is not very densely populated, it is a place with a lot of tourist late spring to early fall. So there is an ebb and flow of people in the region. The people who are there all year are good people. Since it is Western Washington, mostly liberal, Democrat, but there is more of an independent vibe. I assume by posting on this forum, you are looking for people who are more "permies" type of people to interact with? They are all over the place in Western Washington (more so than here in Eastern Washington). I have seen people posting from Bothel, Seattle, Bellingham, Orchas Island (some pretty famous people there).

Doing permaculture in this area is mostly a no brainer because of the amount of rain. That has made the soils "successionaly" more fungal dominated as evidence by all the trees. So I would choose to do permaculture things that capitalize on that.

I personally love the rain. In Hoodsport about 90 inches a year. I love having the sea (Hood Canal) in my front yard and the mountains (Olympics) in my back yard. I think you and your father will love it here (sorry, there). So let me be the first to welcome you to the neighborhood.


https://permies.com/t/56401/real-estate/homestead-farming-culture-Western-WA

Thought my ears were burning....

That was a lot of great info you shared, Donald...thanks again! Dylan..the link to that thread is here: https://permies.com/t/56401/real-estate/homestead-farming-culture-Western-WA

As a side note, I've become (online) friendly with several people from the area I'm interested in moving to, Seabeck (eastern side of Hood Canal)...found them on area-specific forums like on Facebook, as well as (obviously) HERE. I've seriously been impressed with how friendly folks are, and very community-oriented, looking out for one another! I had a lot of questions for them re: activities for elderly folk, as my 87 y.o. mom may be moving with us when we move up there.....I was given a ton of links to activities in nearby Silverdale. A bit far from Brinnon, but I'm guessing your father might find the same*friendly-factor* in nearby towns (?) if he ends up seeking camaraderie if you leave!

I should amend the above to say...not all forums are the same when it comes to "friendly". I encountered one or two before I found this one, for example, where a core group of Washingtonians darn near had me convinced by their hostile attitudes that all Washingtonians hate anyone moving into their area, but ESPECIALLY Californians...some even going so far as to say they'd rather not sell their house at all, than sell it a Californian. Wull, I'm happy to report that that folks like that are a teeny minority overall. I've since found and met (online) far more friendly, and more-than-helpful Washingtonians who go so far as to volunteer a place for you to stay till you get settled in!

Donald, Thanks! i love the area of Brinnon, its unbelievable, but it just doesn't seem as social as say, Chimicum or (obviously) Port Townsend. Do you know anyone or have any examples of someone who is utilizing the mushroom mania that is the olypen? id love to look more into that.

Carol, how did you pick Seabeck? its literally right across hood canal from Brinnon!

Hi guys.

Sorry about the people being mean. Some people are mean and like to judge other people (there I go judging people).

Growing up, I remember hunting for Shantrel mushrooms. I guess they are highly sought after, I don't know, I just picked them for the family (I do not like mushrooms). I would also say that the peninsula may have many other kinds. I am thinking in some of the Birch trees could have Chaga. In the woods there may be Turkey Tail or Chicken of the Woods. And I never looked but I would bet in some of the second growth fir stands of timber there might be some White Truffle.

Locally, there is a lot of information. I just googled it and found a few links for you to follow:
https://radicalbotany.com/category/fungi-and-mushrooms/
https://www.facebook.com/OlympicPeninsulaMushrooms/
http://olymushroom.org/

As for people who commercially deal with the stuff I would look at Paul Stamet's mushroom site called Fungi Perfecti Who is an expert on fungus in the Olympia, Washington area. I hope this helps.

Dylan Gillies wrote:Carol, how did you pick Seabeck? its literally right across hood canal from Brinnon!

Heh heh....good question, but the answer may seem odd. Seabeck sort of called to me. I'd been looking for areas to move to in WA for over a couple of years and somehow I keep landing (online) back on Seabeck and all of it's attributes/people/location/amenities (which include distance from a sizeable town)....mostly it's the proximity to forest/water/mountains, having these all so close to owning/on land. My husband and I hope to be up there soon to do our in-person reconn trip, may change our minds about exact location. We want to be remote, but not too remote. We're both pushing 60 and despite best efforts to the contrary, may not live forever....so don't want to be too far from things like medical. But really want to be able to live in nature without a neighbor in direct sight, have animals and be able to grow much of our own food.

How did you choose Brinnon?

Hah how strange! Ive never heard anything about it before. But I have shrimped right there in the canal and know two cool people who live there. No mountains there.

I've lived in the port townsend region for a long while. it is far superior to anything on the kitsap peninsula. It is in the rainshadow which allows a great deal more growing potential. It's also more comfortable. The culture is amazing and much more prolific than in the surrounding region. There is also access to many more organic markets for example, there are few on the kitsap peninsula. It is a slower pace of life, with less traffic as well. It's also closer to the olympic mtns with is a huge treasure. We are starting big projects in the discovery bay region with mob grazing, taking over old farms to restore them, to start permi villages, to do large earthworks, to partner in efforts with the permi school there, and to try and start test cases for healthy forestry practices. Across the street from one of our properties is this place for sale. It is amazing and has so much potential. the water system there could be epic. love to dialogue with anyone about discovery bay, wa.

steve
ptstevebaker@gmail.com

http://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sale/Port-Townsend-WA/pmf,pf_pt/2115055276_zpid/43689_rid/48.051579,-122.722607,47.928881,-123.05769_rect/11_zm/

I don't see a whole lot of properties more than an acre or half acre for sale in Port Townsend.  

Carol Ochs wrote:I don't see a whole lot of properties more than an acre or half acre for sale in Port Townsend.  

This search shows a pretty sizeable number of roughly 5 acres and up.

If you're only looking to feed a family and not commercially farm, 5 acres is usually going to be plenty in our mild climate here. Likely not enough to provide your fuel in addition to food unless you use RMH technology [which is awesome and a big item discussed on this site], but being in the rainshadow you might get more mileage out of solar thermal as well.

RMH technology?

Dylan Gillies wrote:RMH technology?

Rocket Mass Heater, a Rocket Stove that feeds its exhaust through a serious amount of Thermal Mass to retain the heat over time.