Frank Norris
In Town: Just outside the city limits of Laquey, Mo., Frank Norris operates Country Boy Feed, Farm, & Building Supply. Started by his father, Robert, the business has been in operation for 31 years. “My dad’s retired military and I was born at Ft. Leonard Wood. He thought there was a place for a feed and hardware supply in the rural area. He turned the business over to me 16 years ago, but he remained active, here every day, talking to contractors and such, until last year when his health got bad.”
In the Country: Frank has raised cow-calf pairs on his 120 acres, all black and black and white face Angus, for years. Last fall his dad was pronounced cancer free, but Frank sold his stock and rented out his pasture for the year. Frank will be getting cattle again in the spring, using his experience to again improve a herd. The Norris family was named MU Extension Pulaski County Farm Family of the Year in 1998.
Family: Frank’s immediate family includes his wife, “Fred” Fredrica and his sons, Frank age 14, Michael age 13, and Zach, age 9, as well as stepson, Matt who is in the Air Force. Frank is also close with his sisters who came home to help with his father’s care earlier this year.
What's changed over 30 years in business and in farming?
“The biggest change is that we now sell more construction supplies and less feed than ever before. As bigger farms have sold, they’ve been turned into smaller tracts, where people might keep a horse or two. Folks around here now do a lot of gardening as people are all into raising their own vegetables or even chickens. I sell a lot more horse feed, and still some for beef cattle and goats, and lots of dog food. Everybody has a dog.
“This business has always maintained a nice earnings curve in that the feed business is up in the winter when the building supply side goes down and then as spring and summer come along, the construction business picks up and the need for feed goes down.” As to the farm, Frank said, "There are very few full time farmers around here anymore. That’s just the way it is. I was talking to some friends recently, and we all love farming, even if it may not pay the bills anymore. But we, true farmers, will figure out a way to do it, even if we all have to work another job to keep it going.”
By Laura L. Valenti
