From the Field: Carl & Carolyn Sundermeyer
Submitted By: Megan Werdenhausen
My Great Uncle Carl and Great Aunt Carolyn bought their farm in Agri-Ready Callaway County, Missouri in 1962 and poured their lives into building a humble cattle and hog operation in mid-Missouri. This farm has been woven into the Sundermeyer family’s story. Carl and Carolyn worked side by side for decades, raising good cattle, being good neighbors, and living the kind of life that dreams are made of.
Carl’s brothers, including my grandpa, came out and helped him build some of the original fence that still stands today. Those fence lines hold wire and posts and generations of family stories and pride.
Over the years, Carl and Carolyn raised their family here. They always had a few horses around to check cattle the old-fashioned way. Carolyn was known for always having a good meal on the table, feeding whatever family was there, and anyone else who happened to drop by. They did it together, without complaint, with a quiet pride that defined their lives.
As the years caught up with them, they made the difficult decision to step back. They never stopped caring deeply about the land or the livestock that shaped their lives. They leased the farm to neighbors to keep cattle on it, ensuring the place stayed the way it was meant to be. Eventually, my husband and I, along with my dad, were blessed with the opportunity to take over the lease and continue running cattle on the property that my uncle and aunt have poured their hearts into.
Now in their elder 80s, Carl and Carolyn are still sharp as tacks. Uncle Carl can tell you every story behind every fence row, every calf crop, every hog he raised, every horse he and his brothers broke and saddled there, and every bit of sweat that went into making the family farm what it is today. Carl is still right out there with us. He watches us load cattle, rides along in his side-by-side helping us and checks cows from the truck. He’s as present and involved as he can be. And Aunt Carolyn never lets us leave the house without offering a nice cool drink and a snack, usually a piece of chocolate or dessert, to keep us going.
My husband and I are purchasing the farm this year so it can stay in the family so its legacy of cattle, horses, conservation, and hard work can continue. Our dream is to build our herd here, and one day pass the farm down to our son, so it can become a Missouri Century Farm.
Great Uncle Carl and Great Aunt Carolyn’s support, presence, and hospitality continue to shape the way we work on this farm and remind us every day why keeping it in the family matters so much. Their pride in the farm, and in seeing it stay in the family, means the world to us. This farm is more than land. It’s heritage, sacrifice, grit, and love. We’re honored to continue the story Carl and Carolyn started there over sixty years ago.
