Today we’d like to introduce you to Joe Raineri.
Joe, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Like many great ideas, Terra Amico Farms started with a simple dream: to reconnect people with the land, their food, and each other.
My wife Lisa and I have always believed that agriculture is about much more than growing crops. It’s about stewardship, community, education, and preserving something valuable for future generations. Several years ago, we purchased a small property in San Martin and began transforming it into what would become Terra Amico Farms, a Certified Organic farm specializing in heirloom tomatoes and regenerative farming practices.
At first, our focus was simply growing great food. We planted dozens of varieties of heirloom tomatoes, improved the soil, created pollinator habitat, and learned everything we could about sustainable agriculture. As we spent more time farming, however, we began to see the challenges facing local agriculture firsthand.
We met incredible farmers, ranchers, bakers, cheesemakers, and food producers who were working incredibly hard but often struggling to find reliable markets for their products. We saw agricultural land disappearing, small family farms under pressure, and a growing disconnect between consumers and the people who grow their food. At the same time, we noticed that many people wanted to buy local and support farmers but simply didn’t know where to find them.
Terra Amico Farms became more than a farm. We started hosting farm-to-table dinners, educational tours, and community events. We watched something remarkable happen: people were hungry for connection. They wanted to know where their food came from. They wanted to meet the farmers. They wanted their children to understand agriculture and experience life beyond a grocery store shelf.
Those experiences led to a much bigger question:
What if we could create a permanent home for local agriculture? A place where farmers could thrive, families could learn, and the community could reconnect with the land?
That question became Fattoria Public Market and Food Hub.
Inspired by the public markets we visited throughout Europe, Fattoria is envisioned as a year-round public market, regional food hub, educational center, and agricultural destination located on 26 acres in South Santa Clara County. The project will provide local farmers, ranchers, fishers, bakers, cheesemakers, and other food producers with a permanent place to sell their products directly to consumers and institutions. It will also include educational programs, a greenhouse tasting venue, event spaces, demonstration gardens, a plant nursery, and a working farm that allows visitors to experience agriculture firsthand.
In many ways, Fattoria is simply Terra Amico Farms on a larger scale. The same values that guide our farm—supporting local producers, sustainable agriculture, education, and community—are the foundation of the project. The difference is that instead of helping one farm succeed, Fattoria is designed to help hundreds of local producers succeed while strengthening our entire regional food system.
Today, our mission remains the same as when we planted our first tomatoes: to create harmony between agriculture, community, and the environment. Terra Amico Farms taught us what is possible when people reconnect with their food. Fattoria is our effort to bring that experience to an entire region.
We believe agriculture has shaped the history of Santa Clara County, and with the right vision, it can help shape its future as well.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I don’t think anyone who chooses farming expects a smooth road.
Agriculture teaches humility very quickly. Every season brings new challenges—weather, pests, rising costs, labor shortages, water concerns, and market fluctuations. As farmers, we’ve learned that no matter how carefully you plan, nature always has a vote.
When we started Terra Amico Farms, we were driven by a passion for growing great food and stewarding the land, but we quickly realized that growing food is often the easiest part. Building a financially sustainable farm can be much more difficult. We saw firsthand how hard local farmers work and how many obstacles they face just getting their products to market and earning a fair return.
Those experiences were actually what led us to Fattoria.
As we began developing the concept, we discovered that creating a project of this scale comes with an entirely different set of challenges. We’ve spent years meeting with farmers, community organizations, government agencies, planners, lenders, and elected officials. We’ve had to navigate regulations, zoning questions, environmental reviews, financing strategies, and countless details that most people never see.
There have certainly been moments when the easier path would have been to scale back our vision or walk away entirely.
What has kept us moving forward is the overwhelming support we’ve received from the community. Every time we meet another farmer who needs better market access, another family looking for healthier local food, or another organization working to strengthen our regional food system, we’re reminded why this project matters.
The challenges have actually reinforced our belief that Fattoria is needed. If creating a stronger local food system were easy, it would already exist. The obstacles have taught us patience, persistence, and the importance of collaboration.
Looking back, I wouldn’t describe the journey as smooth, but I would describe it as meaningful. Every challenge has helped refine the vision and brought together an incredible network of people who believe that agriculture deserves a strong future in our region.
In many ways, the struggles have become part of the story. They’ve taught us that preserving agriculture isn’t a single project or a single farm—it’s a community effort that requires people willing to think long-term and work together toward something bigger than themselves.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Terra Amico Furniture/Millwork, Terra Amico Farms, Fattoria Public Market and Food Hub?
At its heart, Fattoria Public Market and Food Hub is about reconnecting people with the source of their food and strengthening the future of local agriculture.
Our organization was created around a simple belief: if we want local farms and food producers to survive and thrive, we need to build the infrastructure and community support systems that make their success possible.
Fattoria is a nonprofit initiative that will bring together a year-round public market, regional food hub, educational programming, demonstration agriculture, community gathering spaces, and agricultural experiences on a single site in South Santa Clara County. The goal is to create a permanent home where local farmers, ranchers, fishers, bakers, cheesemakers, artisans, and food entrepreneurs can connect directly with consumers while building a stronger and more resilient regional food system.
What makes Fattoria different is that we are not simply creating another farmers market, retail center, or event venue. We are creating an ecosystem.
The public market will provide year-round opportunities for local producers to sell their products. The food hub will help farmers aggregate, store, process, and distribute products to schools, hospitals, restaurants, and other institutional buyers. Educational gardens, a greenhouse tasting venue, children’s agricultural activities, cooking demonstrations, and farm experiences will help visitors better understand where their food comes from and why local agriculture matters.
One of the concepts we’re most excited about is encouraging people to eat with the seasons. Before food routinely traveled thousands of miles, communities naturally ate what was being harvested around them. Through our greenhouse tasting room and educational programs, we hope to reconnect people with seasonal eating and inspire chefs, home cooks, and families to use the incredible foods being grown right here in our region.
What sets us apart is that every component of the project is designed to support local producers and agriculture. Whether it’s helping a small farmer reach new customers, creating educational opportunities for children, supporting food access initiatives, or preserving farmland for future generations, the project is built around creating lasting value for the community.
What I am most proud of is that Fattoria has become much bigger than any one individual or organization. It has attracted support from farmers, nonprofits, educators, community leaders, local governments, food advocates, and residents who all share a common belief that agriculture is worth preserving and celebrating.
If there is one thing I hope readers take away, it’s that local agriculture matters. Every meal creates an opportunity to support farmers, strengthen local economies, protect open space, and build healthier communities. Fattoria is our effort to create a place where those connections can happen every day.
Ultimately, we’re not just building a market—we’re building a stronger relationship between people, food, and the land that sustains us.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned throughout my career is that success is rarely a solo endeavor.
Whether I was building a business, starting a farm, or developing Fattoria, the most important opportunities have almost always come through relationships. Mentors, advisors, community leaders, farmers, business owners, and even chance introductions have all played important roles in helping move ideas forward.
My advice for finding mentors is simple: don’t focus on finding a mentor—focus on building genuine relationships.
Many people approach networking as a transaction. They meet someone and immediately think about what they can get from the relationship. In my experience, the most meaningful connections happen when you’re genuinely curious, willing to listen, and interested in learning from other people’s experiences.
I’ve found that people are often incredibly generous with their time and knowledge if they see that you’re sincere and willing to do the work yourself. Some of the best advice I’ve ever received came from conversations over coffee, visits to farms, community meetings, and introductions from mutual friends.
Another lesson I’ve learned is to be willing to ask questions. Early in my career, I sometimes felt like I needed to have all the answers. Over time, I’ve realized that asking thoughtful questions is often far more valuable than pretending to know everything. Most successful people enjoy sharing what they’ve learned, especially with someone who is genuinely interested and respectful of their time.
I also believe in seeking mentors from different backgrounds. Some have taught me about business, some about agriculture, some about leadership, and others about community building. You don’t need one mentor for everything. Often, it’s a collection of people who each contribute something valuable to your growth.
Perhaps most importantly, be willing to give before you receive. Look for ways to help others, make introductions, share resources, or support their work. Relationships built on mutual trust and generosity tend to be the ones that last.
Looking back, many of the opportunities that have shaped my life—from Terra Amico Farms to Fattoria—can be traced back to conversations and relationships that started with a simple introduction. That’s why I always encourage people to show up, get involved in their community, stay curious, and never underestimate the power of a genuine connection.
You never know which conversation might change the course of your life.
Contact Info:
- Website: Terraamicofarms.com, FattoriaPublicMarket.com
- Instagram: @Terraamicofarms, @Fattoria Public Market
