Cornutt Farms in Alabama: History, What It Raises, How It Makes Money and How to Contact It
Profile updated November 2026
Cornutt Farms, run by Rickey and Connie Cornutt near Boaz in Marshall County, was named Alabama's 2015 Farm of Distinction. It started with 25 acres and now covers more than 2,000 acres, with 1,200 acres of corn, soybeans and wheat, a 250-cow beef herd and 150 acres of hay.
| Location | Near Boaz, Marshall County, Alabama |
|---|---|
| Sectors | Corn; soybeans; wheat; beef cattle; hay |
| Scale | More than 2,000 acres including 1,200 acres of grain, 150 acres of hay and a 250-cow herd (Southeast AgNet, 2015) |
| Why it is elite | Named Alabama's 2015 Farm of Distinction; Alabama's entrant in the Sunbelt Ag Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year contest |
| Growth | From 25 acres to more than 2,000 acres |
| Ownership | Rickey and Connie Cornutt, farming in partnership with Rickey's brother Chris |
| Official website | Southeast AgNet report on the 2015 Farm of Distinction award |
History of Cornutt Farms
The farm began with just 25 acres and grew to more than 2,000. Rickey Cornutt farms in partnership with his brother Chris, and he and his wife Connie have two daughters, Leslie and Cara. Rickey has said the farm went through some lean times, and he credits his faith for the family's progress.
In April 2015 the Cornutts were named Alabama's Farm of Distinction at the Alabama Farm-City Awards in Birmingham, beating three other finalists and receiving more than $12,000 in cash and prizes. They then represented Alabama in the Southeastern Farmer of the Year contest at the Sunbelt Ag Expo in October of that year.
What Cornutt Farms Grows and Raises
Cornutt Farms plants 1,200 acres of corn, soybeans and wheat, keeps a 250-cow beef herd and puts up 150 acres of hay. Marshall County in northeast Alabama has rolling land and many small fields, and this farm has built its size by adding rented ground rather than buying one large block.
The fields are spread across about 42 landlords' properties, averaging 20 to 25 acres each. Moving equipment between small tracts and managing that many lease relationships is a major task, and the farm's growth depends on dependable relationships with landowners. Hay supports the cattle herd, which diversifies the grain operation.
How Cornutt Farms Makes Money
Grain sales
Corn, soybeans and wheat on 1,200 acres are the main crop product. Many of those acres are rented, so landowner relationships are part of the revenue engine.
Beef cattle
A 250-cow herd provides calves for sale and uses pasture and hay.
Hay
The farm grows 150 acres of hay to feed its own herd, reducing purchased feed.
Farm Insight: What Other Operators Can Learn from Cornutt Farms
The first lesson is that growth by leasing is a management skill. With about 42 landlords on small tracts, the Cornutts rely on trust and communication. Operators who want to expand can treat landlords like customers: pay on time, maintain the ground and stay in touch.
The second lesson is that scale does not require large fields. The brothers' partnership shares equipment and labor across many small tracts. A final point is resilience: the family speaks openly about lean times, a reminder to build reserves and keep good records.
Managing 42 landlords is basically running a very large and very patient neighborhood association, and the Cornutts do it between planting, calving and baling. When the hay is in, stop by farm.FM for farm satire, farm humor, ranch humor and farm jokes written with admiration for folks who know every tractor path in Marshall County. Nobody here is complaining about the 25-acre fields.
farm.FM calls itself the nation's first satirical farm site, and between the headlines it spins Tractor Tunes, country music for farmers; a good place to start reading is this farm.FM columnist's archive.
How to Contact Cornutt Farms
Website: https://southeastagnet.com/2015/04/03/alabama-family-honored-for-farm-of-distinction
No operation phone, address or email is printed in the sources used for this page, so none is listed. The website link points to a published award report, not an official farm site. Confirm any visit or business inquiry through the Alabama Farmers Federation or local county Extension office.
Cornutt Farms Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- Alabama family honored for Farm of Distinction - Southeast AgNet award report
- Prizes for Farm of Distinction - Alabama Farmers Federation news
- Alabama Extension farm management - Farm business resources from Alabama Extension
- USDA NASS Alabama 2022 Census of Agriculture - State-level farm numbers and sales
- USDA Farmers.gov - Federal programs, loans and conservation help for farmers
Cornutt Farms FAQ
How did Cornutt Farms grow?
It grew from 25 acres to more than 2,000, largely across fields owned by about 42 landlords.
What does Cornutt Farms raise?
Corn, soybeans, wheat, hay and beef cattle.
What award did it win?
Alabama's 2015 Farm of Distinction.
How can I contact Cornutt Farms?
No official contact details were found in the sources used here. Try the Marshall County Extension office or the Alabama Farmers Federation.
Cornutt Farms shows that a farm can reach scale by working well with many landowners. See the Alabama farms guide for the state's programs and other profiled operations.