What began in 1975 with a single backhoe and the determination of a young farm boy has grown into one of Gustine’s longest-standing family businesses. Rocha Backhoe Service Inc., founded by the late Albert L. Rocha, his wife Patricia and their son Alan, is celebrating 50 years of service to the Westside community.

Albert, who passed away in 2017, built the company from the ground up. “He started this with zero and built it up to what it is today,” recalled Patricia. “When he told me the first backhoe was $15,000, I almost had a heart attack. We had just bought a house, raising four kids, a car payment—but he knew what he could do.”

From those humble beginnings, Rocha Backhoe steadily expanded. The company began with farm and dairy work, digging tree holes, septic tanks, and so much more. Over time, Albert’s skills carried the business into demolition, commercial projects, and larger excavation jobs. “He took down churches, old barns, dug massive pits for tomato plants at Morning Star and Liberty Packing, and always saved materials—wood, brick, and metal—that others would have thrown away,” Patricia said, gesturing to salvaged redwood and brick still used around her home today.

Albert wasn’t alone in his work. Patricia herself became a trailblazer, earning the company’s contractor’s license in the 1980s. “I was among 200 men going for the top ‘A’ license in Sacramento, and I was the only woman,” she said with a laugh. “When I passed, I told Albert and our son Alan, ‘Don’t ever do anything to mess up this license, because I will never go through that again!’”

That determination helped Rocha Backhoe incorporate and secure larger projects with PG&E during a time when women- and minority-owned businesses were gaining new opportunities.

But at its core, Rocha Backhoe has always been a family affair. Their son Alan started at just 14 years old, driven to job sites after school by Patricia until he could drive himself. Today, Alan, now 62, is the primary operator, continuing the family legacy with contracts at Morning Star, Liberty Packing, and Hotel Mission de Oro, while still serving local farmers who have trusted the Rochas for decades.

Family memories from the business run deep—from Patricia driving dump trucks to Albert and Alan entering bathtub races at Newman’s Fall Festival, cleverly outfitting their “bathtub” with bicycle wheels and winning first place. They also sponsored tractor-pulls, where their machine, proudly named Out of Control, became a fan favorite at the Turlock Fair and even landed in national publications.

Through the ups and downs of the economy, Albert’s work ethic never wavered. “He worked three jobs at one point—his day job, running the orchard, and building the backhoe business,” Patricia said. “He never sat idle. He could run anything, fix anything, and he always found a way.”

Now, five decades later, Rocha Backhoe is more than just a company—it’s a testament to family, perseverance, and community. Patricia says Albert’s greatest pride came when all three of them—Albert, Alan, and herself—worked together on a job site.

“This business started with nothing but a dream, and 50 years later, it’s still in the family’s hands,” Patricia said. “That’s something Albert would be proud of.”