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FEATURED FARMER: La Muñeca Legacy

Veterans Day

hen the widowed Antonia Guerra arrived in the United States from Mexico and started planting family roots in 1873 in the small community “They would sell clothing, fuel, groceries, hardware, seed and everything needed by the farming and ranching families in the two communities that they owned land in.”W Legacy La Muñeca west of Falfurrias called Charco Redondo, she – and nobody Obviously, Carlos was born into agriculture and is quick to admit else -- could have any idea how deep, wide and strong those his ongoing passion for it today and in the future is as strong as roots would branch out. ever.

“Antonia was a hard-working pioneer woman that loved agriculture,” said Carlos Guerra, one of her great - grandchildren. “We named our new ranch San Antonia in her honor.”

Antonia brought her three children, Crisanta, Dario and Arcadio with her to begin their venture in the United States. Arcadio, Carlos’ grandfather, was 14 at the time and began working at his cousin’s store. Fast forward approximately 20 years later and Arcadio started to invest in ranch country in NE Starr County with his family that he named La Reforma.

“He was the first in that area to build a cotton gin which was one of their biggest businesses for over 50 years as they later built one at Old Linn and then later at Linn,” Carlos said. “They also built a grain elevator at Linn in the early 50’s and built the first one in McCook soon after.”

The Guerra history is well documented throughout the decades and their work with, in and for agriculture has had a major impact in South Texas and has extended to several states, countries and six continents. “Everything my family did had to do with agriculture and general merchandise stores,” Carlos said. 38

“I have always had a desire to grow our family’s Agriculture and Ag Leadership Legacy,” Carlos said. “I want to leave our ranches and cattle better than when we started so that our next generations can do the same for the next.”

Carlos was born in Edinburg and attended Our Lady of Sorrows in McAllen for elementary school and then Edinburg High School. He graduated from then-UTPA with a degree in Business Management, growing up working on the family farms and ranches in the La Reforma and Linn areas. His wife, named Sister, is also from the Linn-San Manuel community. Carlos is proud to have worked side by side with Sister for 45+ years with Guerra Bros. and now La Muñeca.

“We have known each other all of our lives and have gone to the same church since babies,” Carlos said. “Our mothers were best of friends and called each other ‘Hermanas.’”

Carlos, his wife, four children and five grandchildren own and operate La Muñeca Cattle Co. which they started in 1989. They raise Registered Polled Brahman and Simbrah cattle whose genetics they sell to six continents, several countries and Ameri-

“The business and ranch is named after the brand that my great grandmother Antonia designed and registered,” Carlos said. “We are blessed to live in this great community and work hard to improve the quality of life for all in our community though our work with the Linn San Manuel Improvement Corporation.” Carlos and his wife have four grown children “that have never given us a lick of trouble, all graduated from Texas A&M and help La Muñeca in different ways,” Carlos said.

Laura is an attorney and has two daughters, Gabriela and Mia. Carlos Jr. is the ranch manager and has two children, Carlos X. III “Pops” and Cecila. Victor is an attorney who spends much of his time ranching and is our Marketing Social Media Guru. Cristina “Tina” has a jewelry business but invests lots of time with her son Boone at the ranch. Her husband Justin LaGrange is a farmer who helps with the LMC hunting and eco-tourism enterprises.

“I thank the Lord every morning for our many blessings, one of which are our five grand kiddos who love the ranch and showing their cattle,” Carlos said. “We try hard to teach them how to think outside the box so that they can dream big, use the work ethic they are developing here at La Muñeca and become anything they want to become.”

While the Guerra’s are big into their family business they talk often about working within and for their community (the local community and the overall agricultural community). More importantly put that talk into a lot of action.

“We are big on education and leadership. We have annual field days for our 4-H and FFA Youth from all over the state,” Carlos said. “We are very involved and have helped to create several local, state and national junior shows and scholarship programs, which we first started when our little brother Victor passed away in 1979. My wife and I invest a lot time every year with scholarship programs and are always looking for ways to create opportunities for our youth.”

The Guerra’s are proud to be the Co-founders of the LSMCIC, TJSSA Scholarship Fund, American Junior Simbrah Round Up, STAR, STAR GALA, LMC & Friends ANIMO Award and The Brahman Foundation. Carlos is also very proud to have served on the Texas 4-H and the Texas FFA Foundations of which Laura and Victor serve on now. Carlos said the key is to have such a long-lasting and continuing legacy in the agricultural world, or in anything, is to foster a burning desire for what one is doing and realize that nobody has to do it alone.

“Make sure that you have a passion for it, know who your Uncle Blister is as your days will be long, be patient, know the people, set realistic goals, have a plan and a solid understanding of how to work that plan,” Carlos said. “Never be afraid to ask for advice. Ag folks are always willing to lend a helping hand.”

Carlos said they plan to continue to improve their cattle and deer genetics, grow the markets, improve the productivity of the ranch land and grow their eco-tourism business.