The Sun Will Come Up Tomorrow — My Mom, Linda Saarloos | Part 2 Episode 59
Chopping It Up with Keith Saarloos · Released August 05, 2026 · Santa Ynez Valley, California
About this conversation
Keith Saarloos continues his conversation with the woman behind the Saarloos family—his mother, Linda Saarloos.
In Part 2, Linda and Keith tell the story of how she and Larry “Big Lar” Saarloos followed a family dream to California’s Santa Ynez Valley.
They bought a Ballard Canyon ranch planted with approximately 14,000 Fuji apple trees and believed their first crop had already been sold. After a year of work, every apple was rejected. The family donated what they could, fed the rest to cattle and learned their first unforgettable lesson about farming.
Then Linda offered a simple idea:
They could only eat so many apple pies. Why not plant grapes?
That decision began the journey from apple farmers to vineyard owners and ultimately to Saarloos + Sons.
Keith and Linda also revisit the Roasted Bean coffee shop, Los Olivos bocce ball, horses, family business lessons and Big Lar’s habit of calling people during the worst moments of their lives.
Then the conversation turns to March 2020.
After spending what he called one of the greatest days of his life moving cattle at Hollister Ranch, Larry was thrown from a horse and suffered a catastrophic injury. He died ten days later during the beginning of the COVID-19 shutdown.
Unable to hold a traditional funeral, the Santa Ynez Valley showed up in a different way. What began as a small drive-by memorial became a 45-minute procession through Los Olivos honoring Larry Saarloos and Sue Herthel.
This episode is a story about farming, failure, marriage, grief and the community that carried the Saarloos family through its darkest moment.
Most importantly, it gives Keith the opportunity to place something permanently on the record:
His gratitude for the Santa Ynez Valley—and his love for his mom.
Episode 59 is Part 2 of Keith’s conversation with Linda Saarloos.
#SocialYnezValley #SaarloosAndSons #LindaSaarloos #ChoppinItUp #CaliforniaWine #FamilyHistory #BigLar
From Keith’s original Valley archive
The following material is preserved from the original episode post. Existing transcript text is an archive copy and may contain transcription errors.
THE SUN WILL COME UP TOMORROW
My Mom, Linda Saarloos | Part 2
Part 1 explored Linda’s childhood, her athletic life before Title IX, meeting Larry “Big Lar” Saarloos and the early years of their marriage. Part 2 tells the story of how Linda and Larry left Southern California, followed an old family dream and built a new life in the Santa Ynez Valley.
Big Lar had always wanted to become a farmer.
The dream was rooted in the generations that came before him. His father kept a calendar picture above his workbench labeled “Saarloos Dream Ranch.” Larry stared at it for years until he finally decided it was time to make the dream real.
Linda and Larry initially searched for ranchland near Paso Robles. Every Friday night, they would drive north from Long Beach, stay in Solvang and continue their search the following morning. Eventually, Linda asked the obvious question: Why keep driving beyond the place where they already wanted to stay?
Through a remarkable chance encounter, they found property on Ballard Canyon Road containing approximately 14,000 Fuji apple trees. The land fit their budget, the deal came together quickly and the Saarloos family entered the apple business.
Their first crop appeared to be a guaranteed success.
A neighbor connected to a growing company called Whole Foods offered to purchase every apple. After a year of work, Larry boxed the fruit, loaded it onto a truck and drove it to Los Angeles—only to have the entire shipment rejected because the apples had not been graded, waxed or formally approved by the company’s produce buyer.
Big Lar returned home with every apple.
The family gave away as many as possible to local schools. The remaining fruit was pushed onto the ground and fed to cattle.
Welcome to farming.
Linda understood that life on a farm required a person to be tough enough to endure disappointment and soft enough to remain grateful. The family could only eat so many apple pies, she reasoned, so perhaps they should replace the orchard with something people wanted.
They planted grapes.
The Saarloos family removed the apple trees, rebuilt the property, installed the posts and wires and planted the vines by hand. Keith and Heather later moved into the barn with their newborn daughter, Brielle. On Keith’s first night at the ranch, Big Lar informed him that harvest began at 4:00 the following morning.
That was the beginning of what would eventually become Saarloos + Sons.
Keith and Linda also revisit the life that grew around the vineyard: horses, team penning, championship belt buckles, the Roasted Bean coffee shop, Los Olivos bocce ball and the friendships that made the Santa Ynez Valley feel like home.
The conversation reveals the principles Big Lar carried through farming and business. Problems were opportunities. Failure was never final. When circumstances became frightening at night, he woke the following morning ready to work.
As he often reminded his family:
“From what I understand, the sun is going to come up tomorrow.”
Those words carried the family through lost crops, business setbacks and the most painful experience of their lives.
In March 2020, Big Lar spent a day moving cattle on horseback at Hollister Ranch overlooking the Pacific Ocean. He called Keith afterward and described it as one of the greatest days of his life.
The following day, Larry was thrown from a horse and suffered a catastrophic injury. He was airlifted to UCLA during the first days of the COVID-19 shutdown. His family was unable to visit him normally, and Larry passed away ten days later.
Public gatherings and traditional funerals were prohibited. Nevertheless, the Santa Ynez Valley found a way to show up.
A procession formed in Los Olivos to honor Big Lar and beloved local horsewoman Sue Herthel, who died during the same week. What Keith expected to be a handful of cars became a 45-minute parade led by a Santa Barbara County sheriff’s vehicle. Families, friends, farmers and neighbors passed the Saarloos and Herthel families while a church bell rang continuously over Grand Avenue.
Six years later, Keith uses this episode to place his gratitude on the record.
The experience confirmed what Linda and Larry had always known: the Santa Ynez Valley is special because of its people. It is a place where neighbors know one another, parents look after every child and an entire community will appear when a family reaches its lowest moment.
The episode concludes with something Keith was never able to do with his father: sit across from a parent, preserve the stories and say thank you while there was still time.
This is a conversation about farming, failure, marriage, loss, community and a mother who made room for her family’s dreams.
It is also the story of how the Saarloos family found its home.
What You’ll Hear
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How Linda and Big Lar discovered the Santa Ynez Valley
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The “Saarloos Dream Ranch” that inspired Larry
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Why the family bought 14,000 Fuji apple trees
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How their first apple crop was rejected
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Why Linda suggested replacing the orchard with grapevines
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Planting the original Saarloos family vineyard by hand
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Keith and Heather moving into the barn with newborn Brielle
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Linda and Larry’s years competing on horseback
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The champion horse now recognized in the Cowgirl Hall of Fame
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The Roasted Bean and its place in Santa Ynez Valley history
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The legendary Los Olivos bocce league
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Big Lar’s approach to uncertainty and failure
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Why Larry called people during the worst moments of their lives
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The business loss that ultimately made the family stronger
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Big Lar’s final horseback ride at Hollister Ranch
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Losing Larry during the beginning of the COVID-19 shutdown
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The 45-minute Los Olivos procession for Larry Saarloos and Sue Herthel
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Why the people make the Santa Ynez Valley special
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Keith’s emotional tribute to his mother
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How the Saarloos Family Found the Santa Ynez Valley
How the Saarloos Family Found the Santa Ynez Valley
Linda and Larry “Big Lar” Saarloos first became familiar with the Santa Ynez Valley through high school football games, visits to Westmont College and family trips to Solvang.
After selling their Southern California business, Larry decided to pursue his lifelong dream of owning ranchland, raising cattle and becoming a farmer. The couple initially looked near Paso Robles, but every trip began with an overnight stay in Solvang.
Linda eventually asked why they should continue driving beyond the place where they already wanted to be.
A chance conversation introduced them to a Ballard Canyon property planted with approximately 14,000 Fuji apple trees. The land fit their budget, and the Saarloos family became farmers in the Santa Ynez Valley.
Accordion 2: From Apple Farmers to Saarloos + Sons
The Saarloos family’s first apple crop was expected to be purchased by Whole Foods. After a full year of work, however, the shipment was rejected because the apples had not been waxed, graded or formally approved by the company’s produce buyer.
The family donated as many apples as possible to local schools and fed the remainder to cattle.
Linda suggested removing the orchard and planting grapes. At the time, the Santa Barbara County wine industry was considerably smaller than it is today.
The family removed the apple trees, burned and cleared the orchard, installed vineyard posts and wires and planted the vines by hand. They initially sold their fruit to other wineries before creating Saarloos + Sons and producing wine from their estate vineyards.Linda Saarloos is the mother of Keith Saarloos and TCU Baseball head coach Kirk Saarloos, the widow of Larry “Big Lar” Saarloos and one of the foundational figures behind the Saarloos family story.
Born in Pipestone, Minnesota, Linda moved to Southern California at seven years old as the youngest of six children. She grew up in a hardworking family, became a multi-sport athlete before Title IX and later worked as a hairdresser while helping build the foundation for her own young family.
Linda survived colon cancer and breast cancer and continues to fight bone cancer with the determination, humor and toughness that led her family to nickname her “The Wolverine.”
Today, Linda divides her time between the Saarloos family in California’s Santa Ynez Valley and Fort Worth, Texas. In Fort Worth, she is a beloved and highly visible supporter of TCU athletics, attending everything from baseball and football to basketball, tennis, equestrian, track, soccer and beach volleyball.
More than anything, Linda Saarloos is a mother and grandmother who has spent her life showing up. Her strength, sacrifices and belief in her family helped shape everything the Saarloos family has built.
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The Story Behind the Episode
Keith Saarloos wanted to record his mother’s story while he still had the opportunity.
His father, Larry “Big Lar” Saarloos, passed away before Keith began Choppin’ It Up. Keith knows Big Lar would have loved being a guest and probably would have talked for the entire hour without needing to be asked a single question.
Keith did not want to make the same mistake twice.
Linda, however, hates being the center of attention and would never have voluntarily agreed to an interview. Keith therefore invited her to do something “fun,” took her for coffee and drove her directly to the Krazy Country 105.9 studio.
This two-part conversation preserves stories about Linda’s parents, her childhood, women’s athletics before Title IX, her marriage to Big Lar, the Saarloos baseball legacy, TCU, cancer, motherhood and the experiences that helped form the Saarloos family.
It is funny, deeply personal and occasionally emotional. Most importantly, it gives Linda Saarloos the opportunity to tell her story in her own voice.
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Topics Covered
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Accordion 3: Topics Covered in Episode 59
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Ballard Canyon AVA
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Santa Ynez Valley Union High School
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Krazy Country 105.9
Additional topics:
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Linda and Larry “Big Lar” Saarloos
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Saarloos family history
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Saarloos Dream Ranch
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California farming families
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Fuji apple farming
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Vineyard planting
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Santa Barbara County viticulture
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Estate-grown wine
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Windmill Ranch
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Ballard Canyon farming
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Farming failure and resilience
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Family businesses
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California dairy history
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Dairy Valley
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Bellflower and Cerritos history
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Roasted Bean coffee shop
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Los Olivos bocce ball
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Team penning
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Western horsemanship
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Community involvement
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Supporting local businesses
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Independent radio
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COVID-19 and family loss
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Grief and resilience
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Preserving family history
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Mothers and sons
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Marriage and sacrifice
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Family legacy
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FAQ
OW DID THE SAARLOOS FAMILY COME TO THE SANTA YNEZ VALLEY?
Linda and Larry Saarloos became familiar with the area through high school football, Westmont College visits and trips to Solvang. After searching for ranchland near Paso Robles, they realized the Santa Ynez Valley was where they truly wanted to live.
WHAT WAS THE SAARLOOS DREAM RANCH?
Larry’s father kept a large calendar photograph above his workbench and labeled it “Saarloos Dream Ranch.” The image represented the family’s longstanding desire to return to farming and own ranchland.
DID THE SAARLOOS FAMILY FARM APPLES BEFORE GRAPES?
Yes. Their first Ballard Canyon property contained approximately 14,000 Fuji apple trees. After their first commercial crop was rejected, the family removed the orchard and planted grapevines.
WHY WAS THE FIRST APPLE CROP REJECTED?
The fruit had not been graded, waxed or formally approved by the company’s produce buyer. Although another representative had offered to purchase the apples, the agreement had not been properly completed.
WHEN DID THE SAARLOOS FAMILY PLANT ITS VINEYARD?
The family transitioned from apples to grapes around 1999, when the Santa Barbara County wine industry was considerably smaller. They installed the vineyard infrastructure and planted the vines by hand.
HOW DID SAARLOOS + SONS BEGIN?
The Saarloos family began by farming grapes and selling them to other wineries. The family later started producing its own estate-grown wines, eventually creating Saarloos + Sons.
WHO WAS LARRY “BIG LAR” SAARLOOS?
Larry Saarloos was Linda’s husband and the father of Keith and Kirk Saarloos. He was a businessman, farmer, cattleman, horseman and foundational figure in the Saarloos family’s move to the Santa Ynez Valley.
WHAT DID BIG LAR MEAN BY “THE SUN WILL COME UP TOMORROW”?
It was Larry’s reminder that a setback did not end the story. Whatever happened during the day, the family could get up the following morning and face the next opportunity.
HOW DID BIG LAR DIE?
Larry was thrown from a horse while moving cattle at Hollister Ranch in March 2020. He suffered a catastrophic neck injury and died approximately ten days later during the beginning of the COVID-19 shutdown.
HOW DID THE SANTA YNEZ VALLEY HONOR BIG LAR?
Because traditional funerals were restricted, the community organized a vehicle procession through Los Olivos for Larry Saarloos and Sue Herthel. The procession lasted approximately 45 minutes while a church bell rang over Grand Avenue.
WHY IS COMMUNITY SO IMPORTANT TO THE SAARLOOS FAMILY?
Linda and Larry built their life by becoming active in local businesses, sports, churches, equestrian events and community traditions. When Larry died, the community’s extraordinary support demonstrated the importance of those relationships.
IS THIS THE END OF LINDA SAARLOOS’ INTERVIEW?
Yes. Episode 59 is Part 2 and concludes Keith Saarloos’ two-part conversation with his mother, Linda Saarloos.
Spotify and Apple Podcasts Description
Keith Saarloos continues his conversation with the woman behind the Saarloos family—his mother, Linda Saarloos.
In Part 2, Linda and Keith tell the story of how she and Larry “Big Lar” Saarloos followed a family dream to California’s Santa Ynez Valley.
They bought a Ballard Canyon ranch planted with approximately 14,000 Fuji apple trees and believed their first crop had already been sold. After a year of work, every apple was rejected. The family donated what they could, fed the rest to cattle and learned their first unforgettable lesson about farming.
Then Linda offered a simple idea:
They could only eat so many apple pies. Why not plant grapes?
That decision began the journey from apple farmers to vineyard owners and ultimately to Saarloos + Sons.
Keith and Linda also revisit the Roasted Bean coffee shop, Los Olivos bocce ball, horses, family business lessons and Big Lar’s habit of calling people during the worst moments of their lives.
Then the conversation turns to March 2020.
After spending what he called one of the greatest days of his life moving cattle at Hollister Ranch, Larry was thrown from a horse and suffered a catastrophic injury. He died ten days later during the beginning of the COVID-19 shutdown.
Unable to hold a traditional funeral, the Santa Ynez Valley showed up in a different way. What began as a small drive-by memorial became a 45-minute procession through Los Olivos honoring Larry Saarloos and Sue Herthel.
This episode is a story about farming, failure, marriage, grief and the community that carried the Saarloos family through its darkest moment.
Most importantly, it gives Keith the opportunity to place something permanently on the record:
His gratitude for the Santa Ynez Valley—and his love for his mom.
Episode 59 is Part 2 of Keith’s conversation with Linda Saarloos.
#SocialYnezValley #SaarloosAndSons #LindaSaarloos #ChoppinItUp #CaliforniaWine #FamilyHistory #BigLar
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Photograph reused from the original Saarloos + Sons episode post.
