Joe (Giuseppe) Marchini, 84, passed away surrounded by his family on Dec. 28, 2022. He accumulated a few titles in his life as a farmer: Mr. Radicchio, the original radicchio grower in the United States and Joe Man being a few.

His life as a farmer started early, and it all began with his watchful eye overseeing his father farm. Joe’s father Florindo Marchini co-started Giampaoli-Marchini Company with partner Carlo Giampaoli, and it was within that organization that Joe would learn what was needed to run an agricultural operation, starting with stamping crates all the way to understanding harvesting cycles. By age 13, Joe had grown an 11-acre crop of tomatoes.

But it was Joe’s deeply held value of his Italian heritage that set a new course for California agriculture. With the help of his Italian colleagues, and after persevering through a few failed attempts, Joe was able to grow his first successful radicchio crop. By the 1980s, Joe was driving loads of radicchio to San Francisco to build market awareness, an early indication of his adept ability to manage marketing, a skill that would eventually lead to his likeness adorning the J. Marchini Farms logo.

Western Growers’ thoughts at this time are with those who gave Joe his most important titles: husband, dad, grandpa and great grandpa.

If you would like to share your thoughts, memories, and condolences, please email your sentiments to [email protected].