As time went on, Verdin’s two sons, Sherril (my grandpa) and Larry (my uncle), took over the family operation. They expanded things, hiring crews to help with the picking and building machines to process thousands of pounds a day. It’s always been a family business. While my grandpa was out harvesting pine nuts, my grandma would sell them from her home in Orem, Utah.
Growing up, my grandpa would be gone for months at a time during harvest season, but every year my dad would take us out for a few days. I don’t know why, but I loved it. Maybe it’s in my blood—driving in the back of the truck, eating greasy food from a frying pan, surrounded by nothing but sagebrush for miles. When I turned 18, I started going out for weeks at a time. Now, I’m fully involved, working side by side with my grandpa and uncle.
We love our family, we love hard work, and we love pine nuts. This business is more than just what we do—it’s who we are.