Rural Roots Sunday - My Rural Elk Grove Story

As a young child, some of my fondest memories were visiting my grandfather, my Papa, on his property in rural Elk Grove. I remember the open space, the animals, the fruit trees, and the simple sense of peace that came with being in Elk Grove’s rural setting. At the time, I didn’t fully understand how special this way of life was. I just knew it felt like home.

 Several years later, my family moved onto my grandfather’s property so my parents could help care for him. What started as a place I loved visiting as a child became our family home and an important part of my life.

 That experience taught me our rural property is so much more than acreage on a map. It can be a place where generations of a family remain together, care for one another, and build a shared history.

 Now, more than 30 years later, I still live on that same property with my husband. Together, we cherish and continue the rural lifestyle that my Papa valued. We have our own chicken farm, fruit trees, and animals, and we appreciate the open space, independence, and connection to the land that rural living provides.

 When I look around our property today, I see much more than land. I see my Papa and the life he built here. I see my parents making the decision to move here so they could care for my grandfather. 

 I see my own childhood and the memories that shaped who I am. And now I see the life my husband and I have built here together.

 I am a living example of what rural Elk Grove affords families—the opportunity to pass their property, traditions, and way of life from generation to generation.

 My Papa established a life here. My parents came here to care for family. I grew up here, chose to stay here, and have now built my own life here with my husband. One piece of rural property has supported multiple generations of our family.

 That is what makes rural Elk Grove so special, and that is why I believe this lifestyle needs to be protected.

 These rural areas are not simply empty spaces or land waiting for another use. They are homes. They are farms. They are places where families raise animals, grow food, care for aging parents, raise children, and create traditions and memories that can be passed down for generations.

 For me, preserving rural Elk Grove is personal. It is about protecting the opportunity that my family was fortunate enough to have—the ability to stay connected to our land and to one another across generations.

 This property is not simply where I live.

 It is where my grandfather built his life, where my parents cared for their family, and where my husband and I have built ours.

 It is part of our family’s history, our present, and hopefully our future.

 My family’s story is a testament to what rural Elk Grove makes possible. It is a special way of life, a family legacy, and something I believe is truly worth protecting for generations to come.

By Allison E., a Rural Area Resident