Remlinger Farms: From Roadside Stand to Worldclass Fun. Meet Nathan Sherfey

Join us as we explore the transformation of a simple farm into a dynamic destination for entertainment. From tractor rides and inflatable jumps to hosting sold-out concerts, witness the magic of blending agriculture with family fun.

Meet Nathan Sherfey, the grandson of Gary and Bonnie Remlinger. Nathan’s grandfather opened a roadside produce stand in 1965. From these humble beginnings Remlinger Farms has grown to become a regional destination for anyone looking to find some family friendly fun in a relaxed and welcoming environment.

Nathan has always been a self starter. When most kids were trading Pokemon cards Nathan was buying stocks. Graduating at the top of his high school class Nathan was the valedictorian for his school. Varsity Basketball player who finished up college and then completed his MBA. After college he thought of going to New York but that pull of the farm was too great.

From tending the crops, to making sure the concert venue is ready Nathan spends his days fully immersed in all aspects of Remlinger Farms. The passion Nathan has for the farm is infectious. His visions for how to continuously improve the guests experience are impressive.

If you have ever been to Remlinger Farms you will love this episode. If you never have been to Remlinger Farms after listening to this episode you will be packing the car and heading out to Carnation to experience the magic that awaits you.

Nathan Sherfey Remlinger Farms Episode Transcript

Hello, friends, and welcome to the Exploring Washington State podcast. My name is Scott Cowan, and I’m the host of the show. Each episode, I have a conversation with an interesting guest who is living in or from Washington State. These are casual conversations with real and interesting people. I think you’re gonna like the show. So let’s jump right in with today’s guest. Well, we’re gonna jump right in. I’m with the operations manager for Remlingers.

Scott Cowan [00:00:29]:
Remlingers. I’m gonna say it right. One of these days, I Said it right all along, and I can’t do it. It’s kind of my usual. I warned you about this, Nathan. Operations manager, Nathan Nathan, you are the grandson of the original founder, if you will, of Remlinger’s Farms out there in Carnation. I remember The farm from when I had young kids and, the kid’s mom grew up out in that area, and we would go out there. And things have changed a lot.

Scott Cowan [00:00:59]:
First off, that was before you were born. And, so, please, I’d like you to introduce yourself. Like I told you before, we got 2 introductions I need from you. 1 is your background, and then let’s talk about the farm’s origin story, and then we’ll we’ll get into today’s stuff. So Welcome to the

Nathan Sherfey [00:01:17]:
show. Thank you. I I’m so happy to be here. Thank you so much for the invite.

Scott Cowan [00:01:21]:
You you say that now, but by the time we’re done, you might be happy to leave.

Nathan Sherry [00:01:27]:
Yeah. So you want me to start with, a little bit of my background?

Scott Cowan [00:01:30]:
However you wanna do it. Yeah. Let’s start with you.

Nathan Sherry [00:01:32]:
Yeah. Yeah. So, I grew up in Chehalis, Washington, went to a high school, WF West, Had a great time there. Played sports, graduated at as valedictorian 4 point o, and then went on to Play college basketball at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon and, had a great 4 years playing there and Also learning, going to school. I got a double major in, economics and business. And then I went they have a MBA program right across the street, and so I went and got my master’s in finance and entrepreneurship. And, now, in the last, like, 5 years, I’ve been working with my grandpa who started Remlayer Farms and, taking that over.

Scott Cowan [00:02:25]:
Well, let let me ask you this question. So is working for your grandfather the the 1st job out of college?

Nathan Sherry [00:02:31]:
No. No. No. No. I don’t. I I actually I started really young. Now my 1st, like, real, real job was right when I turned 16. I started working for McDonald’s and then, like, Worked at GNC, worked for State Farm, Coastal Community Bank.

Nathan Sherry [00:02:51]:
I had multiple different jobs. Okay. Even at a young age, I think I was 12, I got really involved in stocks. And, a guy in town, his name was Sean Kirk, he actually passed away not too long ago, but he was an Edward Jones adviser. And, I would spend An hour, 2 after, like, middle school, with him learning stocks and everything, and he got me So involved, like, at an early age. Something called Facebook came up when I was in, like, 7th grade, and, I bought a lot of it. So I can’t thank him

Scott Cowan [00:03:29]:
enough. Okay. Alright. Yeah. I gotta ask this question. So mom mom and dad, were were they you you I I can imagine, you know, A young Nathan coming to mom and dad and pitching, hey. I wanna buy stock in this company. Well, what’s it called? Facebook.

Scott Cowan [00:03:49]:
Well, what is it? Well, it’s this place where everybody’s going online. Yeah. What are you talking about? You know, I can imagine The dinner table might have that might have been an interesting conversation.

Nathan Sherry [00:04:02]:
Yeah. I was already a weird kid. Like, I never wanted, like, Christmas gifts or birthday presents at a young age, I was always saying, like, I just want money. And they’re like, what are you gonna do with it? Put it in my bank account. And they’re like, do what? And nothing. Until, actually, it was my grandfather, the one I for Remelier, Gary. I wanna say I was maybe 8 years old or something, And he bought me my 1st ever stock. It was a stock in Disney.

Nathan Sherry [00:04:27]:
And I would I had no I was like, so I can own, like, a share of a company. And at the time when I’m a little kid, I thought one share of Disney. I thought I was, like, I was rich. I

Scott Cowan [00:04:37]:
You were the monopoly guy, the Yeah. The top hat on. Oh, that’s awesome.

Nathan Sherry [00:04:41]:
Zero idea there’s billions of shares issued in that company. So So I got involved really early, and so I was fascinated by it. Now, saved up my bank account, all this stuff. I think by the time I was, like, in 8th grade, I had, like, 2 or $3 saved up, some in the market, some in my bank account. I started working for Sean, Edward Jones. And, For, like, 6 months, he’s teaching me diversify, diversify. Awesome. Facebook comes out, and he’s like, our company is going heavy in this.

Nathan Sherry [00:05:15]:
I’m putting almost, like, 30, 40% of my portfolio into this Facebook company. And, I was like, oh, I don’t wanna do that. He’s like, no. I’m actually gonna take all your money and put it into it. And I was like, I don’t wanna do that. He’s like, no. Trust me. You will like it.

Nathan Sherry [00:05:29]:
I’m so glad he made me do that.

Scott Cowan [00:05:33]:
Wow. So do you remember what you bought Facebook at?

Nathan Sherry [00:05:38]:
It was, I think, like, $20 or something like that.

Scott Cowan [00:05:44]:
That was some really solid advice. Do you still have the Disney share?

Nathan Sherry [00:05:50]:
I actually do. That’s cool. I recently did like, I bought this house actually and had to sell a lot of my stock, so I sold most of it. There is only a little bit of stock I have left in my account right now, but one of them is still that Disney share. I I don’t know if I’ll ever sell it.

Scott Cowan [00:06:06]:
Now, man, you should you should make them give you a stock certificate order you know, the old school paper stock certificate and hang it on the wall. That would be That’d be cool. Alright. That would be. So you were an, you know, you were a nerd as a kid, and I mean that in a complimentary You were I can’t imagine in middle school, your friends were hanging out at the at the Edward Jones office with you. I I I really think that’s a A really cool story. And so you you graduated with a four o. Mhmm.

Scott Cowan [00:06:39]:
You went on to Willamette. You got an MBA as well. And now your your grandfather’s farm. Yeah. Let’s let’s talk about that. Because for people that are unfamiliar with the farm, which Might be somebody who’s listened to this outside of the state of Washington, but most most of our listeners are are are Washington state residents. And if you’re in the Puget Sound region, I think Most everybody knows the name. Eastern Washington, maybe not.

Scott Cowan [00:07:07]:
Maybe so. Mhmm. Let’s go to the story. Your grandfather started it. What was his

Nathan Sherry [00:07:15]:
motivation? Yeah. Well, I mean, he started it with his dad. His dad was a farmer. He was a farmer. Loved that whole being outside, hard work, that that sort of old school hardworking ethic. So no. At at the time, his vision was just, he wanted to be a farmer. He wanted to grow crops.

Nathan Sherry [00:07:36]:
He wanted to eat his own food. He wanted to sell it. He just loved being outside and working. K. So that that was really what What he started as. Now that vision changed with a lot of things that happened.

Scott Cowan [00:07:52]:
I thought I read somewhere What we consider roaming your farms now started with your grandfather selling sacks of corn on the side of the road?

Nathan Sherry [00:08:03]:
Yeah. Okay. Yeah. He he sold sacks of corn on the road. He actually even sold in high school. He was selling, before they even start Remler Farms. He planted a bunch of, like, rose bushes everywhere, and he would, he would travel the state of Washington up and down selling, roses. He would ride around on his bike.

Nathan Sherry [00:08:25]:
And, like, during Valentine’s, Christmas, those times, he would be, like, Out at stores, knocking on people’s door, selling bouquets of roses for, like, their husbands, wives to give all

Scott Cowan [00:08:37]:
yeah. So he was really we we’ve got this, you know, this the hustle culture and the grind culture and all that, but he was really He was pounding the pavement in shoe leather. I mean, he was out there working and and hustling, and sounds like you kinda inherited some of that from your your early start too.

Nathan Sherry [00:08:55]:
Yeah. I like to think I did. He actually, he always tells a story. No. I I don’t know because I can’t back up, but I’m going off his word. He was, At the time, because he was selling all corn and roses, he was the only one in his high school that bought His own car, and not only did he have 1, he had 2 cars in high school and just from him selling roses and corn.

Scott Cowan [00:09:18]:
And Was that incarnation?

Nathan Sherry [00:09:21]:
Yep. Back incarnation. Yeah. And we’re talking that’s 19, like, 30, 1940. Yeah.

Scott Cowan [00:09:28]:
Well, no. No. Wait a second. Your your grandfather is still alive.

Nathan Sherry [00:09:31]:
Right? Yeah. He’s 80 years old.

Scott Cowan [00:09:33]:
So if he’s 80, so we gotta go back, You know?

Nathan Sherry [00:09:35]:
Yeah. So 80, I guess we go back. So

Scott Cowan [00:09:38]:
yeah. That’s almost the fifties, man.

Nathan Sherry [00:09:39]:
It’s actually fifties. You’re right.

Scott Cowan [00:09:40]:
Yeah. That’s almost the not to correct you, but that’s almost the fifties.

Nathan Sherry [00:09:43]:
Yeah. No. You’re right.

Scott Cowan [00:09:44]:
That’s if if this story is true, and since we’re recording it, it’s now we’re it’s not true. Right? Yeah. It’s, you know, the old joke, it’s Facebook official. Well, okay. Anyway, That’s amazing that in the in the late let let post World War 2 Yeah. He would have been The only student in his school. Now Carnation was a farming community back then and all of that. So, I mean

Nathan Sherry [00:10:06]:
At school, he he always tells me I think he graduated with 8 people, It’s, it’s class. 8 people. 8 people is his class. I think in their school, they maybe had obviously, they had probably around 40 for class, like, From 9th grade to 12th grade. So they probably had 40 under 50 people probably at their school.

Scott Cowan [00:10:29]:
I just published an episode with a a a social studies teacher at Wenatchee High School. Okay. I asked him, and they have over 2,000 students this year at that high school. So that’s that’s, you know, 40 to 2,000. Like, that’s crazy. Awesome. So he’s he does this. He’s got 2 cars.

Scott Cowan [00:10:47]:
He’s he’s entrepreneurial. He’s he’s I I say hustle with a compliment. I think a lot of people that that word just gets it’s just gotten Mhmm. Worn out by people. But he was hustling. He was he was working hard. When and another thing I read is the farm was about 350 acres.

Nathan Sherry [00:11:09]:
Yeah. More around 300 acres. So there’s been since we’ve sold over time. So at one point yeah. You’re you’re

Scott Cowan [00:11:14]:
right. So it was about 3350 to we’ll say to start if you will then. And now it’s currently, it’s of around 300. Yep. K. Of that 300, how much of that is in actual production?

Nathan Sherry [00:11:29]:
Meaning what exactly?

Scott Cowan [00:11:30]:
Are you still growing crops? Yes. Okay. So of of the 300, About how much is under production for

Nathan Sherry [00:11:38]:
crops? Yeah. I would say, what’s probably getting grown, it’s probably there’s a hundred and probably a 120 acres a 100 to a 120 acres of, still agriculture going on.

Scott Cowan [00:11:49]:
And what are you Well, not you. Well, maybe you are. But what are you grow what are you growing these days?

Nathan Sherry [00:11:55]:
Yeah. So, right now, we are solely growing, Corn, pumpkins, strawberries, and raspberries. Okay. Those 4. Yeah.

Scott Cowan [00:12:06]:
K. Over the years, what all other crops, was your grandfather growing there?

Nathan Sherry [00:12:12]:
We’re talking everything. He grew things from, like, Yeah. Carrots to, hay. Yeah. Sorry. So we do, feed like, hay feed, everything. Christmas trees he grew.

Scott Cowan [00:12:24]:
Okay. Yeah. I’ve re I kind of remember

Nathan Sherry [00:12:26]:
that. Yeah. Yep. Blueberries was popular. He always did that. Yeah. All I mean, we’re talking I’d have to ask him, but he’s grown a lot.

Scott Cowan [00:12:38]:
Okay. I’d be interesting I always I I love to ask this type of question to people like, so what didn’t work out? Because I always because I think we learned from, like, Well, we planted asparagus, and it just didn’t work because but we pit we we changed from asparagus to blueberries, and, You know, that’s when we, you know, skyrocketed. So I’d be curious what he might have tried over the over the years that just didn’t take off.

Nathan Sherry [00:13:01]:
Yeah. Well, I can tell you so why we don’t grow blueberries anymore. We’re we had a different location where we did grow them. We get this kind of wind draft through the valley. Mhmm. And where we’re kinda at, it actually kinda freezes a little bit.

Scott Cowan [00:13:17]:
And so

Nathan Sherry [00:13:17]:
it would always destroy the blueberries, in the early mornings and freeze them, and they wouldn’t be good. And then Christmas Trees. He actually had, like, a flood come in. And, Christmas trees, you grow them, and they’re it’s not till, like, Years later, they’re at their when they’re ready to pick Embarkenable. So when a flood came, it’s not like it killed any of them, but it put mud on all them. And so then they were basically, like, unsellable, and so it took tons of work to, like, wash the trees and do all this stuff to try to sell them. And so Gary, basically, he said after that happened, he’s like, we’re letting these ones grow. We’re selling these ones, and we’re we’re getting out of this business.

Nathan Sherry [00:13:59]:
I’m not. I can’t risk, like, this happening

Scott Cowan [00:14:03]:
again. Would never have thought that a Christmas tree farm and a flood would be the you know, I mean, it’s just, you know Alright. Yeah. What I remember of of when I took my kids there and so this would be 25 years ago or so. Mhmm. Was very family friendly, Very kid centric. My kids loved going there. My kid’s mom Remembered it is that way when she was a kid.

Scott Cowan [00:14:28]:
So boom. Boom. Boom. Okay. What was his vision when he first started the farm? And to open it to the public and and be this, what was so what was his

Nathan Sherry [00:14:37]:
vision? Yeah. I can get into I can tell you about how it came to like, he started opening to the public. But, yeah, once he start opening to the public and people really start coming and how he kept growing it, He really just wanted, like, it to be a experience for everybody to, like, get outside, come see a farm. There were A lot a lot of our customers were people, like, from Seattle

Scott Cowan [00:15:02]:
Mhmm.

Nathan Sherry [00:15:02]:
Who aren’t really they their outside was just a walk around the park. They’ve never really actually been to a farm, a working farm, and seen how everything works and the smells and everything that go along to the farm.

Scott Cowan [00:15:17]:
Right. I I saw a news story one time. It was about a, probably, a late elementary, early middle school aged kid in New York City who had never seen a cow in real life before. You know? I mean, it it just we grow up. I mean, I grew up in the kind of the Tacoma area, And and my neighbors had cows and all that in on 5 acres, not not something big. But I never really Never really thought about somebody who grows up in a city, like, even Seattle. Right? Like, where do carrots come from? Yeah. You know? I mean, they’re not you’re not necessarily growing a bunch of carrots at that time, at least, you know, back in Green Lake around Seattle.

Scott Cowan [00:15:54]:
So he wanted to do this for an experience, and he was, I mean, from the visual outward signs, he was he was successful at that. He he he was almost, You know, before his time as far as the whole agrotourism type thing that’s prevalent now. Yeah. Wait. We’ll get back to this, but I’m gonna

Nathan Sherry [00:16:15]:
jump. Okay.

Scott Cowan [00:16:17]:
So when I was on the website today, I see kind of a I’ll call it a roller coaster, but it was not it’s not one of those things you see, like, at Disneyland, I mean, it’s a but it’s a roller coaster. Right? You got a brewery there now. Yep. Thought I read a blurb about That was the brewery might have been your idea?

Nathan Sherry [00:16:39]:
So, actually, everyone thinks that because, like, of course, the kid that Right once I get out of college, of course, he’s gonna start Brea bar or something like that. It was actually, Gary’s idea. I just I’ve been able to really, like, help him, like, and encourage these ideas for him to actually do. Uh-huh. He actually had that for a long time, and I he was telling me about one of these days. I was like, that’s a great idea. So he has tons more ideas. I can’t wait to, like, keep on, like, Building his future that he envisioned and for it to keep coming alive with him.

Nathan Sherry [00:17:16]:
But no. It actually was his idea.

Scott Cowan [00:17:19]:
That’s actually kind of a cool twist on the story, but what I do what I do know about, you know, opening a brewery is you gotta Jumped through a lot of hoops. You have to, like, build it and commit to it with pretty significant financial outlay and then get permission almost. Like, you gotta you gotta, like, have it, can’t use it, and then you gotta come out and go, Hey. Will you approve this? And I’ve talked to other, you know, distillery owners in in Washington state, you know, small distilleries, small small brewers. That’s gotta be. To me, that’s terrifying to, like, go and spend a lot of money on equipment, get it all configured, all set up, Can’t do anything with it. Yep. So walk me through that.

Scott Cowan [00:18:09]:
Was that one of the first projects you were involved with by chance?

Nathan Sherry [00:18:12]:
Yeah. It was actually one of the first early ones that, again, Gary said, let’s do this. I was like, great. And he’s like, okay. I’m gonna keep farming. You do it. And I’m like, oh, great. Like, oh, let’s find this out.

Nathan Sherry [00:18:27]:
But, no, you’re 100% right. You cannot Start the permit process or get approval until, basically, you’ve bought and ordered the equipment, and it’s, like, getting shipped or it’s going to get shipped. Yeah. Then you get it’s crazy. You’re like, can you guys deny me? And they’re like, of course, we can deny you. And you’re like, but I bought all the equipment. So no. That’s crazy.

Nathan Sherry [00:18:50]:
And I always joke, I know 0 about brewing. Now I actually do know a lot. But When I first went I mean, I went and visited. We were I, went to, like, stout tanks in Portland, and I remember, like, Going through and kinda shopping, and, they’re like, so this is our, like, our bright tank. And I was like, oh, cool. That’s what makes a beer. And they’re like, oh, boy. Like, we have a live one.

Nathan Sherry [00:19:15]:
They were like, yeah. Come here. Like, oh, he’s gonna buy everything. And, like, Luckily, they didn’t no one treated me that bad. Now they upsold me on a few things. I I now that looking back, I’m like, I probably could’ve saved, Maybe $20 on the like, I did not need to buy this at all. But

Scott Cowan [00:19:36]:
Right. Right. That’s funny.

Nathan Sherry [00:19:38]:
So a crash course is definitely what happened in my brewery

Scott Cowan [00:19:44]:
experience. That’s kind of an interesting way to get your feet wet in in in you know, on a Project is is to me, that it’s a complicated process of you know, like you said, you gotta you gotta you gotta buy everything. You gotta, you know, And then and then you can ask for permission to use it.

Nathan Sherry [00:19:58]:
And Yeah.

Scott Cowan [00:20:00]:
You know? So without going too deep into the weeds, how was the Approval process, was it pretty straightforward for you guys?

Nathan Sherry [00:20:09]:
Yeah. So, basically, when, If you’re zoned and everything, so you can do kind of those type of things. But then when it actually comes to the approval process really is, There’s something called the TTB, and it’s a federal permitting for, like, selling, for, like, You’re distilling and your alcohol, wine. Everyone has to do it. And then you ought to also get state approval. State is usually if you’re zoned, they’re basically, they’re gonna give it to you if you’re following, like, code and everything, so you don’t really have to worry about that. It’s more of the federal permit of, like, hey. I bought all this equipment.

Nathan Sherry [00:20:46]:
Now I’d like to get my federal permit to do this. And they’re kinda like, Well, okay. Fill this out, and you’re you do everything, and you’re, like, submitting it. And they’re like, hey. We’ll get back to you in months from now. And you’re like, what’s going on?

Scott Cowan [00:21:01]:
Like yeah. Don’t bug us on the by the way, don’t bug us because then we’ll go slower. Oh my gosh. So How long so when did the brewery open?

Nathan Sherry [00:21:13]:
It opened, basically, the beginning of last year. So, May of last year.

Scott Cowan [00:21:20]:
Okay. And putting you on the spot Mhmm. What’s your favorite beer that you guys produce?

Nathan Sherry [00:21:26]:
I mean, I still have like, I have baby taste buds. I like your I don’t like dark beers if that no. I don’t mean to like if people that like.

Scott Cowan [00:21:35]:
It’s okay. There’s no wrong answer here. There’s no wrong

Nathan Sherry [00:21:38]:
answer. I like like your Pilsners, your Kolsch. I love those type of beers.

Scott Cowan [00:21:42]:
Those are

Nathan Sherry [00:21:42]:
like super ale type beers. Any of those, like once we get past IPA into, like, anything above So you’re

Scott Cowan [00:21:50]:
not a fan of porters or Stouts.

Nathan Sherry [00:21:52]:
Stouts, porters. I I can’t do it. I can’t

Scott Cowan [00:21:56]:
do it. You’ll grow up. It’s okay. So what are you guys currently brewing there?

Nathan Sherry [00:22:03]:
Well, we’re actually, he’s brewing all sorts of different things. So we have 20 different beers on tap at all times.

Scott Cowan [00:22:09]:
And, All yours? All Rem

Nathan Sherry [00:22:11]:
Wenger’s? All all of ours. Yeah. So Wow. All across the board, he does a great job of, I mean, we’ve had So many different beers, and there’s always, like, 3 or 4 he has ready to go. So once one’s gone, that’s not one of our, like, staple more popular ones. Right. We’ll have a new one come in. But right now, we’re he’s just finishing up.

Nathan Sherry [00:22:31]:
We have Oktoberfest coming

Scott Cowan [00:22:33]:
up. Right.

Nathan Sherry [00:22:35]:
So he’s been, brewing all German style beers. So your Kolsch is he has, like, a marzen, different things like that that Okay.

Scott Cowan [00:22:44]:
Doing? That’s awesome. Okay. Very cool. Yeah. Yeah. So you cut your teeth on a brewery. Yeah. What are you working on now?

Nathan Sherry [00:22:55]:
Yeah. Now, we actually We partnered with, Seattle Theater Group, and, we were able to do a concert, a few months ago called King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizards. They’re an Australian band. I had no idea who they were. I was like, what is this band that they’re bringing out? They so we had 5,000 people a day. It was a three 3 day concert, so 15,000 tickets they had available that we had on our property. It sold out, I think, in 32 hours, was all 15,000 tickets. I was like, what is this band? Just, I think on their, like, they have, their monthly listens for their, like, their band is like 1,000,000,000 a month.

Nathan Sherry [00:23:45]:
Like, just a crazy diehard, fan base at it it was just amazing to see. Like, amazing people were at, our place for that band. So we are, we basically got through all the county permits and everything, and we’re working with them right Now to possibly have, like, a concert venue here, be doing, like, 10 to 15, maybe even 20 concerts a year. K? Like, can have up to, like, 6,000 people

Scott Cowan [00:24:16]:
here. So far. Good sized venue. That’s a and and that’s outdoors. Right? It’ll be an outdoor venue?

Nathan Sherry [00:24:20]:
Nope. Outdoors.

Scott Cowan [00:24:22]:
Yep. That’s that’s a that’s a really good sized venue to have. Yeah. Wow. Very cool. So how are the shows? I mean, did you go?

Nathan Sherry [00:24:31]:
Oh, yeah. I I I worked the whole time. I was,

Scott Cowan [00:24:34]:
Did you enjoy it? Did you well, maybe not the work, but did you enjoy the music?

Nathan Sherry [00:24:37]:
Loved it. It was great. Never thought I’d be, never even heard of a band called King Gizzard and the lizard and why I would ever be a fan to them Beats me, but they were they were a great

Scott Cowan [00:24:50]:
band. Awesome. Okay. So Yeah. Completely off topic. But so if that’s not your If that’s not a name that would resonate with you musically, what what do you listen to musically? What where where do you tend to fall in the Yeah.

Nathan Sherry [00:25:04]:
I mean, I listen to all sorts of different ones. I mean, I think, I love hip hop, pop. I mean, having the Basketball world, you you gotta listen to, like, rap. Like, Drake is your number 1 guy. Like, there’s all sorts of different. You’re you’re listening to rap. I still love country. And I actually thought when you said, like, what were you expecting, I thought for us being like a farm venue, like, We’re a farm

Scott Cowan [00:25:31]:
Right.

Nathan Sherry [00:25:31]:
That we were gonna have more of, like, country singers coming out here, not like Grateful Dead type of music fan.

Scott Cowan [00:25:39]:
Is that what is that what this band is like? It’s kinda Grateful Dead?

Nathan Sherry [00:25:43]:
Very similar to that.

Scott Cowan [00:25:44]:
Yeah. Well, that’s what that’s why they have the followers then because Exactly. You know? I mean, the Grateful Dead and I love the Grateful Dead. You know? I’ve seen them. I saw them, I don’t know, 70 times. Yeah. And that that genre of music has a very devout following of people who will travel and would love Experiences to go along with the the music. So coming out to Reminger Farms would be a a a no brainer.

Scott Cowan [00:26:12]:
So Yep. Good good on South Theater Group for picking that one. Yeah. And they do so they do South Theater Group does some great they could do some great

Nathan Sherry [00:26:19]:
stuff. Oh. So And Amazing. The the more I’ve learned about, like, as I’ve worked with them oh, they’re a great, amazing group of people and Right.

Scott Cowan [00:26:28]:
Smart people. Yeah. I, we could I could good I could I could hijack the show, but I won’t. Okay. But you guys also so so you guys have What I remember is, like, you guys sold pies and and kinda had a farm store. You guys still have that.

Nathan Sherry [00:26:44]:
Right? Yep. Yep. Still have

Scott Cowan [00:26:46]:
We also have a restaurant now. I don’t remember a restaurant. It might have been, you know, food, but I don’t remember a

Nathan Sherry [00:26:50]:
restaurant.

Scott Cowan [00:26:51]:
Yep. And you’ve got some amusement rides. Yep. Can host up to 5,000 people, let’s say, for live music. Uh-huh. No blueberries or trees or at least Christmas trees. Yeah. What? I’m trying to pinpoint what changed.

Scott Cowan [00:27:10]:
How did you guys go from being, I don’t wanna say sleepy. I don’t mean like that. But, you know, a a farm a farm stand store Entertainment concept, but to putting in, like, amusement rides, and and there’s an

Nathan Sherry [00:27:25]:
arcade Yeah.

Scott Cowan [00:27:26]:
Brewery. What What prompted your grandfather? I mean Mhmm. That’s a big shift. Yeah. That’s a big, Big shift, and it’s cool. But I wanna know and, you you know, you’ve talked to him. What got him going this direction?

Nathan Sherry [00:27:46]:
Yeah. No. That’s, an excellent question. I mean, so many people ask. They’re like, how why is there a roller coaster on your farm? So

Scott Cowan [00:27:55]:
Yes. Why not? I guess it’d be a good answer, but you know?

Nathan Sherry [00:28:00]:
Yeah. So, basically, As I said, Gary was a farmer. That was all he wanted to be. And, he strawberries was, like, one of his go to crops, And it was popular, and, I don’t wanna name the store, but a store, basically, Kind of the big grocery outlet stores. They basically came to Gary and said they’d like to buy all of his, strawberries. So he had however many acres. And so the 1st year, they said, we want a 100% of your product. He grew it all, loved it.

Nathan Sherry [00:28:35]:
They They sold every single thing. So he and then they told him, hey. Double your production. Double this production, And the next year, sold it all of the and so he did that. They kept saying double your production, double your production. And he did that for, like, 3 to 5 years. And then they, again, they told him double your production. So now he has a huge amount of acres growing strawberries thinking that it’s all gonna be sold to this, grocery stores.

Nathan Sherry [00:29:02]:
Franchise. Yeah. And they basically said, we’re not buying any of it that finally that final year. And, this is at the time where those there wasn’t much regulation. And, These big stores, this is how they actually bought a lot of land is they would kinda do these to farmers, and the farmers then would be Caught because they obviously took out loans to buy all this, like, the seeds and Right. Labor and all this the equipment. And, so he quickly had to figure out a way to sell all his product. And it’s all he has to still harvest it as well.

Nathan Sherry [00:29:41]:
And, he was going around everywhere trying to piece together. He said he was only able maybe to, like, get 10% that he would be able to harvest and sell because no one could get that much, and so he’s kind of dead in the water. And, he traveled around to other farms across country, and, I think it was, like, in over in the East Coast and down in, like, Texas, he heard about some farmers doing something called the UPIC.

Scott Cowan [00:30:12]:
And,

Nathan Sherry [00:30:12]:
Yeah. You see where I’m going is, he was actually the 1st farmer in the state of Washington To do, you pick strawberries, and people would come out, and now you’re not paying nearly as much. So, like, he wasn’t selling The strawberries for that much, and people would pick it, come out, spend the whole day picking as many strawberries and then buying it, and they’re be bought by the pound. And, he sold all of his product. Now he didn’t make as much as he would, that he would have sold it all to the 1 store, But he also didn’t have as much of a labor cost because he didn’t have to harvest it. And so he and everyone came out, and they’re like, well, What else can we buy here? What else can we do? And, people were bringing their children. And so I think it was like the 2nd year he decided to do this again because he still had all the crops. And Strawberries, they usually last for about 3 to 5 years, so you have to you’re still gonna it’s still gonna be giving off strawberries the the following year.

Scott Cowan [00:31:13]:
Right.

Nathan Sherry [00:31:13]:
And, Kids were coming, and, they’re like, what can the kids do? They’re bored out of their mind. And he had a little wagon on the back of his, like, tractor, and he said, well, Throw them in the back, and I’ll take them around for a tractor ride. And, like and he had, like, other were hit, Like the roses and the corn, he’s like, well, I also grow this on the side, and you guys can buy this so people he now had basically people coming to the farm When no one was coming to the farm before Right. And as you can see, the tractor rides, and then he’s like, Okay. This entertainment thing. Oh, also this market thing, I can sell whatever now that people are coming here. And it just you can see where it developed and, also, like, I wanna buy this little ride and Just set it up and have kids jump on this inflatable

Scott Cowan [00:32:05]:
little bouncy house. Bouncy house or whatever. Yeah. Merry like an old merry-go-round, if you will. Right?

Nathan Sherry [00:32:10]:
Yep. Exactly.

Scott Cowan [00:32:13]:
That’s cool. So when you were a kid growing up, did you go there much?

Nathan Sherry [00:32:17]:
I did, on the summer. During summers, I would basically go and my live with them for 2, 3 months during the summer, and It was basically my own little mini Disneyland, I like to say.

Scott Cowan [00:32:31]:
That’d be kinda cool. So when you were going to college, did you think that this would be where you’d end up?

Nathan Sherry [00:32:40]:
No. Not at all.

Scott Cowan [00:32:41]:
So So how did this how did this come about then? If you’re you go to college, you got your MBA and all of that, and this isn’t where you thought you’d end up, what brought you to hear. Besides it being I mean, it’s your grandfather. But you guys what was the conversation like? What what what how did this all come about?

Nathan Sherry [00:33:01]:
Yeah. No. You’re 100% right. I mean, what farmer has a master’s in finance, and now he’s in the dirt, like, planting crops and, like, Dumbest decision ever. No. Basically, COVID was, starting to happen, and my grandfather really wanted my help. And, He needed some financial help. Like, my financial background could really help him.

Nathan Sherry [00:33:31]:
And he basically said, hey. Don’t I had a job lined up in Everett, and, also, I kinda wanted to try my luck over in New York, at Wall Street and see what I could do. And he basically convinced me not to do that, spend a year with him. And I always kinda want to because I remember in my college, we would bring entrepreneurs and business people to speak to

Scott Cowan [00:33:56]:
us Mhmm.

Nathan Sherry [00:33:58]:
And tell us about how they started, what they did. And I remember thinking to myself, like, my grandfather is this person. I can just talk to him about this. I don’t need to hear these speakers. Like, I have a amazing business owner grandfather who has done all this as well. So I think it was a combo of him wanting me there and me wanting to, like, pick his brain and, like, learn about his success and what he did That I decided to drop everything and go be a farmer with

Scott Cowan [00:34:30]:
him. So that was supposed to be for a year. At least that was the that was the sales pitch you just described. Yeah. So it’s been more than a year. So what got you to stay? Did it do you like getting dirt under your nails? I mean, what is it? You know, this is a wall Carnation Washington is not Wall Street. I I I don’t know if you’re aware of that yet, but downtown Carnation has nothing to do with downtown New York.

Nathan Sherry [00:34:54]:
Yeah. No. I, basically, I love, being outdoors and working with him. I think that I at the time, I think I was just kinda solely focused on maybe the money and things like that rather than, like, The actual lifestyle, being in a cubicle is now something I don’t wanna ever do. And so being Able to be, like, outdoors, like, all the time is hands down, I made the correct decision.

Scott Cowan [00:35:27]:
I I would agree with you. Having having having done my time in corporate, I I would agree that, I think the entrepreneurial way of making a living is so much more, Rewarding. Mhmm. Aggravating. All of the above on any given day, but it’s you’re You’re building something that is a legacy. You’re you’re you’re enhancing your grandfather’s legacy. You’re you’re building something that will become yours. As we sit, we’re recording this and it’s, you know, middle of September in 2023.

Scott Cowan [00:36:07]:
I don’t know when somebody’s gonna be listening to this. What’s next? What can you what can I get you to share? I don’t know if there is anything, you know, but, you know, I’m not trying to put you too much on the spot. But what’s next? What do you guys? I mean, you you kinda said you’re looking for music venue, but what else is going on there? I I get the feeling you guys are up to something else.

Nathan Sherry [00:36:25]:
Yeah. No. There’s a few things in the works. Like we said, music venue. Always, we wanna keep expanding on the amusement park, and I think, like, Putt Putt has got brought up quite a few times. Okay. So, yeah, another interesting thing to add to, like, the arcade and all the, like, fun here. I know different, like, laser tag, things like that.

Nathan Sherry [00:36:51]:
But I would also say one another big one, If the concerts continue, is, actually even a hotel, that we’re thinking about having coming out here.

Scott Cowan [00:37:00]:
So Wow. Okay. That’s that’s a That’s a massive undertaking. Yeah. That’s a massive undertaking. Okay. Let’s go about the arcade for a second in the in the in the amusement park. So what’s your favorite Part of that what what, like, what’s what do you really like?

Nathan Sherry [00:37:17]:
I mean, it’s all I grew up, Like, as a little kid, like, cutting in line because they all knew who I was, like, going right up and grabbing, like, Four cotton candies and eating that and, like like, luckily, my parents and my grandparents, they realized I was cutting in line and Having unlimited caramel apples and kettle corn and donuts that they introduced me to all the employees and then told them, Don’t let him cut. Don’t give him any more about junk food. You’re like, stop doing that. So it quickly changed where I was like, what the heck? And then, of course, I was probably like, I’ll tell my grandpa on you, and they’re probably like, yeah. Go ahead. He would probably like,

Scott Cowan [00:38:02]:
Isola told me to do this.

Nathan Sherry [00:38:05]:
Yeah. So, I I don’t know if I have, like, a Favorite? I mean,

Scott Cowan [00:38:12]:
Do you have a favorite memory of of the farm? Like, something that when you think back on it, it makes you smile?

Nathan Sherry [00:38:19]:
Yeah. So we have these, this pedal go kart track, these little, like, pedal cars. And I remember As soon as the park closed down, I would immediately, like, take those out and drive them everywhere in the parking lot, all over. Like, I would like we have, like, this giant slide, and I would take that thing down, like, everything you weren’t supposed to do. And, like, I’m sure, like, now looking back, like, some of those things have a huge maintenance problems, and I’m sure, like, I caused some of that where, like, our maintenance guy was like, How the heck is this, like, pillow go kart, like, so messed up? And I’m sure I might have had something to do with that. So

Scott Cowan [00:39:01]:
So I I really kinda think we need to reevaluate your your backstory here. So what you had said was, you know, COVID was happening. Your grandfather needed some help. I don’t think that’s true. I I think your grandfather wanted you to come back and pay off the debt that you caused by damaging things. I think that’s the story here. You cost x dollars in cotton candy losses. He kept a running tab on you, man.

Scott Cowan [00:39:27]:
I think that’s, you know, with interest now.

Nathan Sherry [00:39:29]:
There was even actually a time where they now this is a management terrible decision on their part that I’m blaming them, but they, so I always I always worked in the summer too. I didn’t get to just play. So I remember, like, being at 8 years old. We have, like, the U Pick fields. Right. And I would be the cash register, so I’d weigh the berries and then charge the people. Well, they once put me in charge of the doughnut

Scott Cowan [00:39:53]:
hut. Mhmm.

Nathan Sherry [00:39:54]:
And, It was, I remember them saying they came out to a line that was, like, 50 people long, and they’re like, what the heck? And they go in there, And, apparently, I was taking a break and just eating donuts. They said I probably had, like, 8 donuts in my hand just eating donuts. And I’m like, you put an 8 year old In charge of, like, doing the cash register for doughnut. The management decision, horrible on their part. Like So I’ve never worked with Donut Hut since I was been 8 years old or whatever.

Scott Cowan [00:40:31]:
Oh, that’s

Nathan Sherry [00:40:33]:
awesome.

Scott Cowan [00:40:34]:
I love that story. I I really you know, After talking to you on the phone and, you know, in my experiences there as a as a young dad, I really love What you guys are doing, I think it’s it’s really awesome what you’re doing, and it’s it’s become more of a destination than it was when I was there. And we had somebody who, on the website on Explore Washington State, they wrote an article about you guys, recently, we published. It was a a pretty small. She went out and spent the day there at the farm and had a great time. And I think that’s kind of the the The general consensus is when you go out there, you have a you have a lot of fun, and I think what you guys are doing is, good in in in I mean, good. I think people need to have fun. I think people need to go out to a place that’s, family friendly and entertaining, and and and that doesn’t mean it has to be, you know, Boring.

Scott Cowan [00:41:29]:
It can be fun, and it should be fun. And if you guys are gonna bring out live music, I think that’s I mean, that’s I’d love that personally. I think that’s that’s awesome. And, I can give you a list of bands you should have out there.

Nathan Sherry [00:41:41]:
I love it.

Scott Cowan [00:41:45]:
Now The future for you, what do you what what you know, break out your crystal ball. What is what is your future look like? Because, I mean, I’m looking at you, And I I I only know that you’re in your twenties because you graduated from college. Okay? And that you Played basketball in college, so I know you weren’t just a you know, you you might have been in class valedictorian and graduated at 12. Now you played college basketball. So I know you’re in your your your mid to late twenties. That’s about all I can guess. But looking at your face, I I would probably card you if you were driving a car. I’d ask you for like, Kid, are you really 16? Because you’ve got a baby face, man.

Scott Cowan [00:42:23]:
But break out the crystal ball. Mhmm. What what do What do you want? What’s exciting for you? What’s the horizon look like for you?

Nathan Sherry [00:42:31]:
Yeah. Well, first to answer, I am 28. I know it might not like it, but,

Scott Cowan [00:42:38]:
No. See, no. Honestly, if if if if somebody would have introduced me to you, right, In a context and that said, hi. This is Nathan. I’m like, hey, Nathan. Hi. How old is Nathan? I’d honestly probably 18, maybe 20. You you’ve you’ve got a baby face, man.

Scott Cowan [00:42:53]:
Good good good on you. I’m not you know? Good on you, but 28. Okay. Yeah. So you’re 28 years old. You’re A a farmer with an MBA. That’s a pretty cool story. What’s what but what’s the next chapter is gonna look like to you? What do you want them to look like?

Nathan Sherry [00:43:09]:
Yeah. No. That’s a great question. I think continuing exactly what I’m doing with the farm, keep growing that, is Definitely the top, of that list. But like I said, we wanna keep expanding, Hotels may be on the horizon, different things like that. And I’ve actually always, now I don’t know how I I kinda like Politics in this or I I don’t know. Maybe heading that way. K.

Nathan Sherry [00:43:41]:
I’ve I’ve always had an interest for it. I I don’t know why.

Scott Cowan [00:43:46]:
Because you were interested in stocks in middle school, man. It kind of makes sense that you’re also into politics. Yeah. I mean, seriously. I mean, that I I’m not shocked by that answer. I’m not shocked by that. That that kinda seems like, I could see that story. I can see you.

Scott Cowan [00:44:02]:
You’re doing that. Okay. I asked my guests a bunch of questions, and and I’m gonna ask you a couple of these questions, and you can’t answer your farm. K? Yeah. I’m gonna and we can come back, but I’m gonna give you But we’re gonna come back and revisit it one more I’ll give you a variation. Okay. So number 1, I love coffee. Where’s a great place to get coffee that you would recommend?

Nathan Sherry [00:44:30]:
Oh, I’m actually probably the worst person to ask For that, because I don’t drink coffee and never

Scott Cowan [00:44:37]:
have in my life. Okay. I’m just kidding. Where what have you heard? So do you do you live in the Carnation area?

Nathan Sherry [00:44:47]:
I do.

Scott Cowan [00:44:47]:
I do. So what have you heard you know, you’re paying attention to what’s going on in your community. Oh, yeah. And I can give you an easy answer. There’s a there’s a Starbucks incarnation.

Nathan Sherry [00:44:57]:
Oh, there is. Yeah. That’s

Scott Cowan [00:44:58]:
popular. You can you can that that’s your get out of jail free one. But outside of that one, What what have you seen that’s popular in the Carnation area?

Nathan Sherry [00:45:07]:
Yeah. There’s, a little shop. It’s called Sandy’s Espresso. People line up right there. Okay. So no. You’re 100% right. There is a Starbucks, and that, of course, always has a line because Starbucks sells addicting coffee or something.

Nathan Sherry [00:45:24]:
I, again, I don’t drink it, but people are lined up there. But I would say, for The cute mom and pop shop that I know does a great job, Sandy’s Espresso.

Scott Cowan [00:45:37]:
Alright. I’m gonna come over and visit. I’m gonna get there around lunchtime.

Nathan Sherry [00:45:41]:
K.

Scott Cowan [00:45:41]:
It’s a great place for lunch in the

Nathan Sherry [00:45:43]:
area. Yeah. Well, of course, I’m gonna say the farm.

Scott Cowan [00:45:45]:
But You can’t

Nathan Sherry [00:45:46]:
And

Scott Cowan [00:45:47]:
We’ll come back. I’ll give you I’ll give you, Like a debate, I’ll give you the other give you 2 minutes on the other side, but you gotta tell me someplace else too.

Nathan Sherry [00:45:54]:
Yeah. So we We have a few options. We don’t have a lot. We’re a small town. Right. But, if you like, like, Hispanic food, we have, great people, great food. People love it there.

Scott Cowan [00:46:09]:
What would you recommend there?

Nathan Sherry [00:46:12]:
Depends on what people like. I know

Scott Cowan [00:46:14]:
you. What are you gonna eat? You and I are gonna go grab lunch. We’re gonna go there. What what are you ordering?

Nathan Sherry [00:46:18]:
I’m either getting, like, Shrimp tacos or, like, a taco

Scott Cowan [00:46:22]:
salad. Okay. Yeah. Alright. But no coffee.

Nathan Sherry [00:46:29]:
No coffee. Trust me. There’s so many business meetings I’ve gone to where people are like, Let’s meet at this local Starbucks at, whatever, 6, 7 AM. I have to always get there, like, 15, 20 minutes early And go and order a, like, a hot chocolate. Mhmm. So at least I have something in my hand, and then they think I have a coffee in my hand so I don’t look like a kid Only a hot chocolate in

Scott Cowan [00:46:55]:
his hand. I mean, you kind of just made a kid reference there. I’m sorry. You’re having hot chocolate. Okay. Don’t. Alright. Alright.

Scott Cowan [00:47:05]:
So. Alright. Yeah. Now in a in the effort you if I were coming over to Carnation, we were meeting for lunch. We’d probably go to lunch at is Is the Reminger Farms is the restaurant open for lunch? Yep. Alright. Yep. What’s your go to meal there? Yours.

Nathan Sherry [00:47:20]:
Yeah. Mine, I mean, I switch up all the time. But

Scott Cowan [00:47:26]:
Doughnuts?

Nathan Sherry [00:47:30]:
We actually have a great, like, Reuben sandwich that, I love having. So, either that or like this pesto chicken sandwich we have. Those are probably my 2 favorite.

Scott Cowan [00:47:43]:
K. Alright. Do you guys serve coffee at the

Nathan Sherry [00:47:49]:
farm? We do. We actually, Recently, like, partnered with, Caffe d’Arte. And, so, yeah, a lot of people know that. And so We actually are now doing really great coffee, people are telling me. And and so Why don’t you

Scott Cowan [00:48:05]:
drink coffee? What’s the What’s the I mean, it’s you’re a Washingtonian. No. I’m just kidding.

Nathan Sherry [00:48:12]:
But Yeah.

Scott Cowan [00:48:12]:
You you’ve never tried coffee?

Nathan Sherry [00:48:15]:
I I think I had, like, 1 sip of it when like, in 6th grade and didn’t like it, but it’s actually not that reason. It’s My whole family is they they claim they are not addicted to coffee. I 100% think they are. And so I’ve just seen my whole family, so many people that are they have to have coffee every morning. Otherwise, they can’t even function. They’re, like, set all day until they had their coffee. I never wanted that. So I, like, I made it my goal to never do that.

Nathan Sherry [00:48:51]:
And, also, there is a financial part. Again, we’re going back to my nerd self. I when I go to a restaurant, I can’t remember the last time I ever ordered a fountain drink. I only get water, and it’s because I looked up, like, Stats of how much people spend per year on, like, coffee and soda. And I was like, oh my goodness. If I didn’t buy coffee or soda, It’s like $4 a year that I could be saving and then putting into stocks, and that four That $4 could compound interest over the next 30 years, and I would have this much money. So

Scott Cowan [00:49:35]:
I don’t know how to respond to that. No. I’m just kidding. That’s that’s that’s a great that’s great that’s a great reason, man. That’s a that’s a great A great, great reason. Alright. I have 2 questions for you. This we’re gonna wrap this up with 2 questions.

Scott Cowan [00:49:48]:
I’ll let you pick. I can give you my my question that I ask every guest, or I can ask you the question of, what didn’t I ask you that I should have? Which one do you wanna answer first?

Nathan Sherry [00:49:59]:
Let’s go with your question, like, what you ask every guest.

Scott Cowan [00:50:03]:
Alright. I want you to it’s a simple, simple question, but you have to answer the entire question. K?

Nathan Sherry [00:50:09]:
K. K.

Scott Cowan [00:50:11]:
Cake or pie? Mhmm. And why?

Nathan Sherry [00:50:16]:
I have to go pie. And It’s also because Remler Farms, we we sell pie all over the West Coast. So I think if I didn’t say that answer, I don’t know if my grandfather would actually, like

Scott Cowan [00:50:30]:
Oh, he he is it okay. Really, though? Okay. Pie. That’s a great why. Do you like

Nathan Sherry [00:50:39]:
cake? I do. I love cake.

Scott Cowan [00:50:40]:
Okay. Alright. So your last meal Last meal on Earth, grandpa’s grandpa can’t you know, I mean, are you gonna pick cake or pie? Oh. And there’s no wrong answer here. I mean, no you know, there is really there is no wrong answer. But Yeah. So cake or

Nathan Sherry [00:50:58]:
pie? Well, it would be pie because it’s 1 pie. It’s called the Caramel apple pie, and I love caramel apples. And it tastes like every time I’m biting into it, a caramel apple.

Scott Cowan [00:51:10]:
A caramel apple pie. That was the next part of it is What what would be the the okay. So you pick pie, caramel apple pie. Yep. Solid. Very solid. Alright. Good.

Scott Cowan [00:51:23]:
As we wrap this up, what didn’t I ask you that I should’ve?

Nathan Sherry [00:51:31]:
I guess, people always ask, like because exactly like you said, They came back when they came when they were 20, like, 20 years ago, back when they were a kid or they had little kids to come to. And, So many people ask, like, well, what’s changed? Like, you have a brewery, like, things like that. So I I always tell them, like, we that was one of the things I really wanted was to change the kind of atmosphere. Not change it, but Add to it. Mhmm. We still have the theme park. Yes. There’s tons of rides for, like, the little kids, like, 10 and under that That’s our 1st time going to amusement park, and so many parents come here before they ever go to Disneyland because it’s like the practice when they’re, like, 6 years old to get ready for Disneyland.

Nathan Sherry [00:52:19]:
But, we’ve now, like, add the arcade, a zipline, some bigger rides so that it’s now up to, like, 16, and they would still like it. And then, now my age, if you don’t have kids and you don’t really wanna go to an amusement park

Scott Cowan [00:52:35]:
Mhmm.

Nathan Sherry [00:52:36]:
There’s a whole brewery and things like that and distillery that now you can enjoy

Scott Cowan [00:52:42]:
Did you just say distillery?

Nathan Sherry [00:52:44]:
Oh, yeah. I forgot to mention.

Scott Cowan [00:52:45]:
How did we wait. Wait. Yeah. Stop. How did we not just how did we not touch on distillery? Not not to sound like a raging alcoholic Any you know? No. Because I’m not. But distillery too?

Nathan Sherry [00:52:56]:
We actually, that’s another thing I just started. I actually finally, Got the TTB federal permits for the distillery. We’re finishing up the state permits, and we’re gonna start distilling. And we’re gonna do vodka and whiskey Here on the farm, and we’re gonna make it our

Scott Cowan [00:53:14]:
own. Why? I know the technical answers that most people would give me, but I’m gonna ask you for the answer. Why why vodka and why

Nathan Sherry [00:53:23]:
whiskey? Yeah. So whiskey, it’s something that our brewer really wanted to do. It’s Popular. It really works well with, like, beer that we don’t sell. We can actually use it in our whiskey production so We don’t have to waste anything. And then vodka, basically, because we’re able to infuse it with all of our Fruits that we do here, like our blueberries, raspberries, strawberries. So we really want something, like, that has that farm, Like flavor to it of all the fruits and stuff we do, and vodka is an easy way to basically have a vodka raspberry flavored drink. And so

Scott Cowan [00:54:05]:
yeah. When you know, you you’re working through permits, but what’s your what’s your launch date to start production

Nathan Sherry [00:54:13]:
Yeah. We’re we’re hoping, early next year. Like, I would say around, like, March is probably when we’re gonna be launching, and it’ll probably take a few months, and then we’ll start, like, actually producing batches, and then you’ll probably see them. Of course, It has to age, and we might do, one that comes off within a year, but the other ones might take 3 to 5 years.

Scott Cowan [00:54:37]:
Well, the vodka the vodka will be ready

Nathan Sherry [00:54:40]:
Right away.

Scott Cowan [00:54:40]:
Quick. Yeah. And that’s that’s a lot of reason distillery start off with vodkas and gin is because they can they can start to sell the product to recoup some of that cost, where whiskeys whiskies and others have to age or typically should age. Okay. What else? What else? So I’m glad we see, I’m glad I asked that question because we would have overlooked that. That’s cool. What else did I not did we not talk about?

Nathan Sherry [00:55:04]:
No. I we kinda covered it. I guess, the brewery, we, like I was saying with the activities, we have the brewery. We also do, Live music with local musicians and bands in our brewery. It’s every Friday, Saturday, and we’re starting to do every Sunday from about 5, 6 PM to about 8, 9 PM. K. And, that’s been a huge success. And now it’s been amazing because, These local artists at they’ve only like, this is their 2nd or 3rd gig they’ve ever done.

Nathan Sherry [00:55:36]:
They’re I now see them, like, In other places, like, I go to a bar over in Issaquah, and I’m like, hey. It’s our the band that, like, they played with us, and they’re immediately like Like, yeah, I went to your place, played, and someone heard me. And now I’m playing here, and I have, like, 4 more gigs booked.

Scott Cowan [00:55:54]:
So That’s awesome.

Nathan Sherry [00:55:55]:
We do local musicians, And it’s been amazing, like, turnout, and we we’ve really liked it.

Scott Cowan [00:56:07]:
Alright. We’ll put links in the show notes to peep where people can find you online, but why don’t you say that out loud here? Where’s where’s a good place for people to find out more about Remlinger Farms

Nathan Sherry [00:56:17]:
online. Yeah. You can go right to our website, Remlinger Farms .com Or our social media, both we have an Instagram and Facebook that are very popular. So just farms, and you will find

Scott Cowan [00:56:29]:
us. No TikTok? You guys aren’t out on TikTok? I’m kidding.

Nathan Sherry [00:56:32]:
We do. My wife, actually, she started the TikTok, and she did she made a few. And, one of them actually got a pretty good amount of traction for we have, like, these caramel apple slushies, and we also do, like, Part where, like our pie production facilities, she record that. So that it actually got quite a bit of views.

Scott Cowan [00:56:58]:
Caramel apple slushies. Yeah. That that was your cue to expand on Caramel apple slushies. Sorry. Just kidding. What that’s an intriguing I’m kind of scratching my head, if you will. Walk me through caramel apple slushie.

Nathan Sherry [00:57:19]:
Yeah. So, basically, we, It’s a caramel like cider mixture, like slushy cider mixture, and we basically go over the top with Dripping caramel all over it. We stick a caramel apple in it. Like, it’s this whole drink, and it’s basically It’s a huge success for the social media. Like, people buy this thing, and they take a picture with this, like, dripping caramel huge drink. We also do it in the summertime. We do, like, a strawberry smoothie. We, like there’s frosting and sprinkles and, like, a huge rice crispy treat we put in the strawberry one as well.

Nathan Sherry [00:58:02]:
Like, those have been huge Hits on social

Scott Cowan [00:58:05]:
media. Okay. Very cool. Yeah. Alright.

Nathan Sherry [00:58:08]:
Well, I

Scott Cowan [00:58:08]:
have to come out to the farm. It sounds like I’m missing out on some things here that I need to check out. You got me with the caramel apple slush, I think. That’s that’s like I gotta I gotta check that one out. Yeah. Well, Nathan, thank you very very much for your time. I I enjoyed. This was kinda cool.

Scott Cowan [00:58:23]:
What we didn’t cover and I’m gonna bring it up. I told you I wouldn’t, but I’m I lied at the very end. I told you I looked up your college stats. And and folks, I’m gonna I’m gonna lay it out this way. Nathan scored 3 points in his college career. That was per ESPN, and he’s shaking his head no. So I did okay. I wanna hear your explanation of of why you you think ESPN has you down for 3 points.

Scott Cowan [00:58:55]:
I think, you know, but And then let’s talk about your your college basketball career to wrap this up.

Nathan Sherry [00:59:00]:
Yeah. No. I so a lot of people, they They don’t get mentioned on ESPN and, especially, like, I played a division 3 school for basketball. But I think it was, In high school, I won the AU National Sullivan Award. So you had to, like, be an elite athlete And then at the same time, have, like, tons of community service. Like, you had to have great grades So that, like, being valedictorian 4 point o, I kinda qualified and ended up winning it, for the whole country. And so ESPN, they, flew me out to, Disney World in Florida, And I got to go on the ESPN center, talk to all them, and then it was all paid for for me and my family, like, 5 days. Like, It was it was amazing.

Nathan Sherry [00:59:53]:
So I think winning that award, they were like, oh, let’s check up on him his freshman year of college. And I think they saw 1 game where I must have got in for 5 minutes

Scott Cowan [01:00:06]:
and Yeah. It was.

Nathan Sherry [01:00:07]:
Put up 1 shot, made it 3. I obviously, you said went 1 for 2.

Scott Cowan [01:00:11]:
Well, for 2, you said 3 points. So you either got fouled, but I didn’t look at the free throws. So I think it was a

Nathan Sherry [01:00:16]:
3 point. Probably forgot to ever update that over because I was there for 4 freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior year and had a great ending to my college. So yeah. I Yes. So I scored more than 3 in the season.

Scott Cowan [01:00:31]:
So what did you average? As a senior, what did you average?

Nathan Sherry [01:00:34]:
Oh, I think it was probably, Ten points about there. Alright. What yeah. Average. Yeah.

Scott Cowan [01:00:41]:
Okay. Now the other thing you didn’t share this time that you shared when we kinda told me the first time is that Peyton Manning won this award as well as a high school

Nathan Sherry [01:00:48]:
kid? Yeah. Yeah. So he won the solar the national solar. There’s a few, actually. I wanna say, Who else was there? There there is a few. Yeah. Peyton Manning was one of them that won, the national, AAU Sullivan Award. There’s a few great female athletes too, male athletes.

Nathan Sherry [01:01:09]:
I know I’m gonna now you’re making me have To go back and

Scott Cowan [01:01:12]:
let go. Need to go back and research that. That’s cool, though. Good good on you. And and, you know so I I just think your story is really, really cool, and I’m glad Got to sit down and talk today, and I I really appreciate you taking the

Nathan Sherry [01:01:24]:
time. Yeah. No. I this has been awesome. I can’t thank you enough.