LIVE OAK FARMS 100 Years in the Making By Michelle Rivera, Senior Communications Manager
Rows of tomato vines and bell peppers at Live Oak Farms have been catching the morning light in a scene that has been repeating itself every summer for nearly 100 years. But between all the rows of vegetables is a story that begins across the ocean, where a young farmer named Marino Giampaoli dreamed of building a new life. In 1926, Marino Giampaoli emigrated to the U.S. from Lucca, Italy. It was only three years later that he, along with his wife’s cousins, Florindo and Decimo Marchini, launched the Giampaoli & Marchini tomato business in Le Grand, Calif. The business has now evolved into a diversified farming and packing operation about to celebrate its centennial. From 1929 to 1980, the operation was known as Giampaoli & Marchini. In 1981, following a family partnership split, Live Oak Farms officially took shape. Today, Marino’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren continue the legacy as growers, packers and shippers of fresh market tomatoes, bell peppers and jalapeños under the Live Oak label. The farm also produces alfalfa, almonds, processed tomatoes and wheat hay across 3,400 acres, with more than 2,000 dedicated to vegetables. “Packing went from under an oak tree to a warehouse, which we eventually tore down and rebuilt into our pepper shed,” said Bob Giampaoli, who serves as President and CEO. His sister Sandy Del Real manages the business side as officer manager, partner and co- owner. Together, with their sister Donna, and the fourth generation now stepping into leadership roles, Live Oak Farms continues to uphold the values of hard work that were instilled by those that came before them. For each generation at Live Oak Farms, family has remained its foundation. “Generation one had great family values because they had to farm together to survive after leaving Italy,” Bob said. “Generation two was very successful through hard work and instilled those values in us, while also creating what I’d call the best of times in agriculture. Work and family balance made it special. Now, our children and grandchildren are involved, keeping the business alive. To steal a line from "Blue Bloods"—it’s the family business.” As Live Oak Farms looks toward celebrating its 100th anniversary, the family is also preparing the next generation of leaders. Bob’s children, Dominic and Briana Giampaoli, are stepping forward to carry the legacy. Briana, who began in marketing and has since moved into sales, is a graduate of Western Growers’
Future Volunteer Leaders Class VII, now known as the Western Growers Leadership Program. Family may be the heart of Live Oak Farms, but the operation is equally committed to sustainability, investing heavily in practices that prioritize soil health and water conservation. “We’re constantly paying attention to soil, water and tissue tests, adding amendments as needed. Drip irrigation has been a key tool to increase yields while cutting water use, and solar energy has been added to ranches to offset high pumping costs on land without surface water,” Bob said. “Solar panels in particular have helped us reduce costs, though with SGMA starting in January 2026, we may not be able to farm 100 percent of those properties without purchasing outside water.” Tomatoes and peppers have always been the farm’s signature crops, deeply embedded in the Giampaoli identity. And although Live Oak Farms has a strong foundation in conventional farming, the family recently expanded into organic production with organic bell peppers and Roma tomatoes in response to market demand. “We were late to the organic party and are still getting our feet wet,” Bob said. “The request for organics came from our sales team, and while it’s a challenge, there are windows of opportunity where you can increase per-acre profit if you’re willing to sell some conventional when necessary.” As Live Oak Farms looks forward to its next chapter, one thing is clear: it will continue to grow with the same dedication to family and sustainability that has defined it for nearly a century. “Our mission has always been the same, and that is to deliver consistent quality while sustaining the family business for future generations,” Sandy said.
L-R: Dominic Giampaoli, Donna Giampaoli Vaughan, Sandy Giampaoli Del Real, Briana Giampaoli, Bob Giampaoli
39 Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com November | December 2025
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