About Us
The mission of the California Nut Festival is to connect consumers and farmers,
cultivate an understanding of nut production in California and how California nuts
fit into a healthy lifestyle. Proceeds are dedicated to the development of the
Patrick Ranch Museum to preserve and interpret the agricultural history of the
Sacramento Valley.
The Reason
Attendees have the opportunity to elevate their knowledge of culinary skills and
locally grown foods, while also gaining a clearer understanding and appreciation
of all that goes into producing the food they eat.
Proceeds from the California Nut Festival benefit the
Patrick Ranch Museum for the
purpose of preserving and interpreting the agricultural history of the Sacramento
Valley, including social, cultural and economic aspects. The historic Patrick Ranch
Museum was bequeathed to the Chico Museum, the predecessor to the Far West Heritage
Association, in 2001. Learn more about the Patrick Ranch and their Master Plan
at patrickranchmuseum.org.
History
The California Nut Festival began as a series of events including a blossom tour,
spelling bee, book club and chef demonstrations that took place over the course of
a two week period, but lacked a single event that brought consumers and local farms
together in a meaningful way.
The new California Nut Festival (CNF) is the vision of a group of community volunteers
who wanted to bring an upscale food and wine event to the North Valley to celebrate
the heritage and provide much needed fundraising to the Patrick Ranch Museum. Kathy
Chance, committee chair, states, "We want to increase awareness and consumption of
our local products as well as bring people together with the farms in a fun and
festive atmosphere."
The California Nut Festival is a program of the North Valley Community Foundation, a
501(c)(3) non-profit organization.