Sequim area - Sheep, Ducks, Lavender, Orchard, Gardens - cooperative ideas

Hi folks,

My husband and I are interested in setting up a farm in the Sequim-Dungeness area that could include sheep (fiber, meat, milk), ducks, lavender, an orchard, and gardens.  We are looking to connect with others for advice, and maybe even some folks who would want to work collaboratively.  

I'm a WA native, but have been in NM for 16 years, where I met my husband and started a family.  We have a great urban mini-farm setup here in Albuquerque - Muscovy ducks, fruit trees, garden, grapes, artichokes, etc.  It's a great life, we live in walking distance to our son's school and my work (I manage a yarn store), as well as a vibrant business district.  And the growing season is unbelievable!  I'm still harvesting tomatoes right now in November at 6000'!

However - the weather changing here, it's going to get too hot for us eventually.  We foresee the desire to move back up to WA in 5-10 years.  Since we got a small inheritance, we were thinking of buying land now, for the future farm.  Maybe something that has a house on it that we could rent out, or just raw land.  We'd like to be involved in farmland conservation, and wildlife support.  We both have permaculture experience/training, and have lived in intentional community (me for 10 yrs).  I don't think we want full-on community living, but something that was shared and collaborative...I have a feeling of what that is, but I'm not sure exactly what that would look like.  There are probably a lot of options.

So - thoughts?  Suggestions?  People to contact?  Advice from others in a similar situation who have already trod this ground?

Congratulations on your property and welcome back to the NW. I am now in northern CA, but I worked at Olympic Park Institute (OPI), which is now called NatureBridge Olympic (it was bought out with a grant from Google). They are on Lake Crescent and I don't know the current administration but would undoubtedly be connected to many young, energetic people with sustainability on the mind. Kristian Nattinger is a friend who worked at OPI with me grew up on a property similar to what you are describing near P.A. I would also try to reach out to park employees somehow, as many of them are seasonal or interns who would love to work for a room or whatnot and they have all been through extensive background checks already. Also, the Clallam and Makah tribes are also trying to get more involved in their own food security and production again and would also be good sources of partnership and info. Just a few thoughts, good luck!

HEY! Awesome, the Olypen is where its at! My family is in the same boat right now.. looking for land in the northeast peninsula. Unfortunately, nothing viable has been found. But that opens up time for something else. Your looking to buy land now and move up in 5-10 years? Or have you already found your land? Once your plan gets sifted out more id love to hear about it and maybe get involved...