Jan 1 2024
JANUARY 1, 2024
• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water
Richard Hagopian’s family was one of thousands that escaped the Armenian Genocide in the early 1900s and forged a new path in the fertile San Joaquin Valley.
It wasn’t an easy life, especially after his father died, leaving Richard the man of the family while still in his teens. But hard work, a successful music career and a beloved family restaurant in Visalia, sustained the family and built a future for new generations.
Now in his 80s, Richard has come back to farming. Whether his sons will keep it going is up to them. “I can’t tell the future,” he said.
* This is the fifth in SJV Water’s series of videos called “Rooted in the Valley,” featuring small family farmers who continue to work the land in spite of all the challenges they face – especially water.