Episode 18: History, Tradition and Compassion

Chances are you may never have visited Richvale or even heard of it. This small town south of Chico and west of Oroville in Butte County boasts a population of 244.  This is quintessential rice country, with the community surrounded by rice fields and allied businesses, where many of their streets are named after rice varieties.

It's also where the Rystrom family has farmed for generations. 

Before Peter took up farming full time, he graduated from UC Davis with an International Relations and Spanish double major, then traveled to Guatemala and worked to help indigenous Mayan women start businesses that brought basic items like graduated reading lenses and water filtration systems to their rural small villages. 

With time on his hands thousands of miles away, Peter spent long hours cultivating his love for classic literature, including Steinbeck, Dostoyevsky and Gogol. The international travel and a deep dive into the classics fundamentally affected his outlook on life; strengthening the value of forgiveness - to let go of resentment and move forward in life.

"Every human being has something that they are capable of that can help others," Peter said.  "Everybody has a unique skill that they can use to love and serve other people."

Peter's wife Carissa moved from Washington, D.C. to learn about agriculture from the farm level. After a few "tractor dates," they began a strong marriage based on love, hard work, encouragement and relationship building.

Peter said he has had two excellent role models in his father, Steve, and grandfather Don, the later who has been an active participant in their rice harvest for more than 70 years.

What has Peter learned from his 96-year old grandfather? 

Don Rystrom

"You can't control everything that happens, and to be content in every season, no matter what's going on," he commented. "Whether we see great yields or poor yields. Terrible weather or great weather. My grandfather is so calm. He just has a palm open approach to life and I have loved that so much from him."

Don continues to participate in the rice harvest and said he's living a highly-fulfilled life.

"I enjoy working with all of our family," Don said. "We're all doing something that's worthwhile. It's a joy!" 

Episode Transcript

Jim Morris: Life moves at an ever faster pace. And sometimes we don't take the time to take a deeper view. For example, how does classic Russian literature intersect with compassionate service in Guatemala, longstanding Swedish traditions in a tight-knit family in the Sacramento Valley? You're about to find it.

Jim Morris: Welcome to Ingrained, the California Rice Podcast. I'm your host, Jim Morris, proud to have worked with California farmers and ranchers for more than 30 years to help tell their stories, including the last 14 with California rice farms and mills. I'm in one of my favorite parts of the Valley, Richvale, quintessential rice country in the Sacramento Valley, here in Butte County. And I'm meeting with Peter Rystrom, part of a family rice farm. Peter, thanks so much for your time. Tell me a little bit about winter in this area, some of the things that you see and do.

Peter Rystrom: One of my favorite things in the winter out here is actually what made you late to this interview, the bald eagles, flying around the fields, perched out there beautifully on trees or on levees. I love the wildlife and the winter. Whether it's 10,000 ge