As part of Season 03 of CulturallyOurs which showcases Lifestyle and People, we are thrilled to share letters from locals all around the world as they take us along a virtual journey of their city, village or hometown. This is a way for us to get to know one another on a personal level without any ‘must see‘ lists or ‘Top 10‘ activities. Getting a local’s point of view is a fantastic way to get a glimpse into the lives of the people of a place, city or country.

Today we travel to Sacramento, Northern California USA. Nadeen Flynn shares a glimpse of her beautiful town and its people in our local’s point of view series.From Nadeen,

Hello, there! I’m Nadeen Flynn and I live in northern California. When many people think of California, they think of beaches, sunny weather, Hollywood, San Francisco, and the Silicon Valley. And, while all those places and things are definitely true of California, we also have a strong agricultural industry. In fact California produces two-thirds of our nation’s fruits and nuts, and one-quarter of what we produce is exported around the world.

I live in a small rural community where we grow walnuts about 25 miles north or our state’s capital, Sacramento. Sacramento is known as the place where farm-to-table began, and it’s easy to see why. We are in the northern portion of the rich Central Valley where fresh food is seasonally readily available. Farmers’ Markets abound with fresh fruit, vegetables, flowers, meat, eggs, honey, bread, and other foods. Sacramento is also known as the (one of several) City of Trees, but is also referred to as the River City because of the many surrounding rivers. Whether it’s dining formally in a nice restaurant along the river, or informally al fresco, Sacramento delivers plenty of choices even for the most discriminating patron. Fresh farm-to-table food is a large part of the Sacramento dining scene and culture of our local area.In the agricultural community in which I live, there is always a bevy of farming activity and you can be sure the dust is flying! Farmers and field workers are busy with tractors, harvesters, crop dusters, and just about any sort of farm equipment you can think of! Equipment will often be seen on the roads and highways traveling from field to field. Ground needs to be worked and prepared for planting in the spring, and crops need to be harvested in the fall. Throughout the growing season care is taken to nurture crops by irrigating and controlling weeds, insects, and diseases. Many local people here have huge gardens in my town and there are times when everything on the supper table is home-grown. Raising grass-fed beef and lamb, hand-fed pork, and free-range chickens/eggs are also common in my rural town. So, you will find those foods as part of the meal as well. The social activities in my town revolve around school functions, church, and local clubs. There is an atmosphere of a community working together whether it’s in the farm field or on the little league field. When other cultural activities are desired, art museums and galleries, restaurants, performing arts, and other forms of entertainment are easily found with a short drive to Sacramento or other nearby cities.If you ever have the opportunity to travel to the greater Sacramento area, I hope you will. Whenever you visit, be sure to take a little drive outside of the city to see some of the beautiful orchards in their spring bloom or dressed in their fall color, the golden fields of rice just before harvest, or the baby animals who arrive regularly. And, don’t forget to enjoy a meal at one of the local Sacramento restaurants.

Thank you for joining me for a little visit to my town in Northern California. Nadeen, thank you so much for taking us along a virtual journey through your community on the outskirts of Sacramento California. Your town and community of farms and farmlands makes us want to get in the car and just drive out of the city – life away from the hustle and bustle of the city sounds serene and peaceful.

How about you? Are you ready to put Northern California on your list of places to experience.

{Credit: Photos and words by Nadeen Flynn of Nadeen Flynn Photography ; Instagram: @nadeenflynn}