David and Carolyn Carrier, like five generations before them, farm the rich, dark soil on the Muddy Creek Angus Farm, just outside of Lockwood, Mo., in southwestern Dade County. The Carriers raise and breed registered, purebred Black Angus cattle, and in 2009 were given the distinguished honor of being named, “Top 20 Missouri Angus Breeders” by the American Angus Association. Their herd was started in 1947 by David’s father. They are a cow/calf operation and also sell replacement heifers and breeding bulls.
“I still farm the same 80 acres I rented when I was 14,” said David, whose calloused hands tell the story of a lifetime of hard work in the Missouri sun. “Our farm has been in the family since 1882 like a lot of other family Century Farms in our community. In this area, farming is pretty big business. Over the years, like many of our neighbors we have added acreage to our operation. We stay busy year round.”
The Carriers best money crop to date is Canola. “People driving by stop to take pictures of the stunning fields of yellow flowers, they think they’re so pretty,” Carolyn explained. “Canola is used to make biodiesel.” Canola is one of the most effective and efficient sources of biodiesel. “Farming has been good in the last five years, and terrific in the last three,” said David. When asked what he thought the biggest threat to their crops was, David said, without a doubt, drought. “We had a really bad drought here back in 1980,” Carolyn noted. “And in 1981 we had a hail storm.”
Carolyn retired in 2013 from a 17-year career teaching Family and Consumer Science (formerly Home Economics) in Lockwood and Miller, Mo. When asked what it’s like being married to a farmer for 42 years she said, “You’re always busy. David’s grandfather use to say, ‘Diversify. If one crop doesn’t grow, another one will.’ I call that no vacation. In the winter you feed cattle and have baby calves, in the spring you plant crops, harvest wheat and then you plant beans. I don’t do field work anymore. I use to work in the old farrowing house delivering baby piglets.” David added with a chuckle, “You’ve got to have a small hand if you’re going to pull a pig.”
Something new on Muddy Creek Farm is the use of baled silage. The pros are less field drying time, wider moisture content, greater harvest window, easier to transport and less spoilage. The cons include increased cost of machinery, labor intensive and may be less stable. David explained, “We usually feed our steers the balage and five pounds of corn. They gain 2.2 pounds per day. You can mow it in the morning and bale it in the afternoon at 40-65 percent moisture and your protein content of the same material will run from 14-15 percent while you’re more mature hay will run 8-9 percent. Were absolutely sold on it.”
David, Carolyn and their son Chuck run the day-to-day operation of the farm. The couples other son, Harry, works for a wireless Internet Company in Lockwood and climbs the tall towers.
The couple’s grandson, Isaac Carrier, is now studying farm and ranch management with emphasis on feedlot feeding, artificial insemination and embryo transplant at Northeastern Oklahoma A & M at Miami, Okla. Isaac represents the seventh generation of Carriers to make a living at farming. “I love the farm,” Isaac said. I have my own herd of Red Angus and I feed for a neighbor. I plan on living in the original home place when I get home.”
In conclusion David stated, “I just want to, thank God for allowing me to be a farmer, and I pray that he makes me a good steward of the things he has allowed me to achieve. None of this would be possible if it wasn’t for my grandfather, Dewey Knier, my dad, Arthur Carrier, our sons and their families. And, of course, my wife.”
