Our History is rich in Agriculture
Judy and I take pride in living on and working a century farm homesteaded in 1847 by my great- great-grandfather, William McKendry Maddox. We are mindful of the heritage of four generations. For over 160 years, the love of the land has been demonstrated by hard work, sweat, heartbreak, celebration, as well as, tears of sadness and joy. The strength of working together, and the support of one generation to the next, allows us to humbly accept our role as the next caretakers. Along with performance Black Angus cattle, we raise corn, soybeans, wheat, and dairy-quality alfalfa hay.
My grandparents, Wesley and Leta Meyers Carico, instilled in me honesty, integrity, drive, and a strong work ethic. Grandma Carico was the matriarch of the family, and possessed the vision and leadership to run the operation with great success. Grandma milked 150 cows, and
Grandpa farmed, as well as, delivered Carico Dairy products door to door in Falls City, Nebraska. When the pasteurization laws were passed in 1945, Grandma visited each home and left two clean, gallon glass jars on the step, with a hand written note that read, “To continue to purchase from Carico Dairy we invite you to come to our farm.” The first evening, 100 families brought out the gallon jars to the dairy to purchase fresh milk, cream, and eggs.
Wes and Leta Meyers Carico,with their heifers, 1949
Grandpa Carico died when I was seven. Grandma continued to farm and run the dairy. Over the years, she used the money she earned from the dairy to purchase 19 farms in the county. Grandma never lost her passion. She milked until she was in her late 80s and ran the operation all those years with an iron will, intuition, determination, common sense, hard work, and pride.
Charles W. Herbster with his heifer, Lilly, and his dog, Lassie, in 1962
As an only child and grandchild, Grandma Carico taught me many lessons. She thought first-hand experience was the only way to learn. With a passion for cattle and the drive to own farm land, she took me as a curly haired little boy to every land auction she attended. When I was 11, she purchased 65 Registered Black Angus cows for me to start my own herd. Her life and business lessons continue to significantly influence me. We now own and manage over 4,000 acres of prime farmland in Nebraska and Colorado.
Our dedication to help keep the American family farmer in business was demonstrated in 1992. We purchased the Conklin Company, a manufacturer and distributor of animal and agricultural products. Conklin developed Fastrack, the first natural preventive health program for animals. Our AgroVantage agricultural products incorporate crop management programs based on soil and plant tissue testing to increase yields and maximize profits.
During the 1990s, I purchased registered Angus seed stock from Sydenstricker Genetics to improve my herd. In 1998, we were blessed to have Ed Raithel join the operation as our herdsman. Ed and I set the goal of building a herd of 100 of the best Angus cows in the nation. Ed began his research to add the right pedigrees in order for our operation to accomplish this goal. We are not there yet, but we are closer each year. The cattle industry will always have challenges, but we have never lost our focus. There is no question, the Raithels ride for the Herbster brand. Ed's wife, Mandy, now works on the farm with Ed. Their daughter, Miranda (12), has grown up on the farm and is learning first-hand about stewardship of the land and about
selecting and raising quality cattle. It is a thrill to see the passion develop in yet another generation.
The Farm Family: Charles W. Herbster, Judy Herbster, Dina Sells, Austin Sells, Carson Sells, Tom Sells, Tyler Sells, Bob Wagg, Miranda Raithel, Ed Raithel and Mandy Raithel
We are proud to be a fifth generation, agricultural family business! Everyone associated with Herbster Angus Farms is soon considered a member of our extended family.
Visitors to the farm quickly learn that we share more than our meals together. We share respect and
commitment to each other, the Angus Breed, and
excellence in our breeding program. Visitors are always
welcome at Herbster Angus Farms. If you get the chance, come see us! We are proud of what we do here, and would love to show you around.