Rob and Liz, along with their daughters, founded Granor Farm in 2006. What began as a 10-acre vegetable and educational farm has grown into a 400-acre destination dedicated to connecting people to the land through immersive food experiences.
Liz Cicchelli is a Chicago native with a lifelong commitment to civic engagement, philanthropy, and human rights. She serves on the boards of Partners in Health and Human Rights Watch and has a background in international advertising and school administration. When Liz is not in her garden or joining her next committee meeting, she loves spending time with family and friends, has a love of books and travel, and is a fan of anything Star Wars.
Rob Buono is a real estate developer whose career spans law, public service, and projects across various asset classes, including current work converting former schools into housing. He has led major educational initiatives through his philanthropic board service and currently chairs the UW–Madison College of Letters & Science Board of Visitors. Rob holds a B.A. from UW–Madison and a J.D. from Loyola University Chicago.
Holding a Master’s in Public Health from the University of Texas, Johannah began her agricultural journey as a Granor Farm intern in 2019. After managing a statewide farm-to-school program, she rejoined Granor in 2021 and has since taken on a variety of leadership roles. She co-manages the farm team with her husband Joseph, focusing on crop planning, maintaining the farm's organic certification, and expanding flower production. Johannah also oversees the grain and distilling program, retail operations, and marketing. Off the farm, she enjoys camping across Michigan, hiking with her Border Collie, and visiting family in Texas.
Contact: johannah@granorfarm.com
Joseph is originally from Bayou Goula, Louisiana, where he grew up surrounded by sugarcane fields and crawfish ponds farmed by his grandfather. Continuing this family farming tradition, he earned a Master’s degree in Soil Fertility from Louisiana State University. With experience across various areas of horticulture and agronomy, Joseph joined Granor Farm in 2022. As the Farm and Field Manager, he co-manages the farm team alongside his wife Johannah, leading all field operations to cultivate hundreds of varieties of vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers. Outside of the farm, Joseph enjoys grilling, crafting cocktails, and creating music.
Kaitlin, an avid nature lover, grew up exploring the deep woods and vineyards in her childhood backyard. She went on to earn her Bachelor's of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Studies from Grand Valley State University. This created the spark that ignited her love for sustainable agriculture and responsible land stewardship. Kaitlin joined the Granor farm team in 2024 and brings experience managing greenhouses near Berrien Springs, where she grew up, and interests in composting and beekeeping. Off farm, you might catch her long distance running, playing a soccer game, at the beach, or behind a camera refining her photography skills.
Sergio, Maurilio, Eduardo, and Fabian Sanchez
These four are the backbone of our farm team and truly a joy to work with every day. Maurilio and Eduardo (father and son) joined our team in 2022 via the H-2A visa program for temporary agricultural workers. Sergio (Maurilio's brother) joined the team in 2023 and Fabian (Maurilio's youngest son) completed the farm crew in 2024. The H-2A program allows the farm to meet our needs for a seasonal farm crew after difficulty filling these roles locally year after year. They return to Granor each April and stay through October. Sergio also has extensive experience with Michigan fruit production which will allow us to expand our organic fruit offerings in the coming years. When they're not out in the field, they are keeping in touch with their loved ones back in Mexico, cooking meals together, or on an outing to Culver's.
Jake was born and raised in the Galien
