Michael Carey, from Farragut, is nationally known as Iowa's farmer-poet. He farms 800 acres in Farragut and is the author of five books of poetry, a teaching manual, and two historical plays. His work has been published in anthologies and magazines across the United States, Great Britain and Ireland. His life and work have also been featured by the Wall Street Journal, Time, and The Associated Press, as well as on Christian Science Monitor Television and Iowa Public Television's "Living in Iowa" and "Touchstone" programs. Most winters Michael travels the Midwest as a visiting poet-in-residence. In the summer, he teaches at the University of Iowa's Summer Writing Festival.

In 1997, he received the Iowa Council of Teachers of English Friend of Literacy Award, for his work with young writers in the schools. He is also past president of the Omaha Chapter of the Irish American Cultural Institute. Since 2000, he has been on the Steering Committee and Artistic Committee of the Des Moines National Poetry Festival. He also hosts Voices from the Prairie, Humanities Iowa's weekly syndicated radio program featuring Iowa poetry. Carey is founder and executive director of both Loess Hills Books and Carrauntoohil Books featuring the best in regional fine arts writing.