Cutrell Farms is nearly a century old; a 3rd generation farmer, Heath Cutrell played with his trucks as a boy and dreamed of farming, following in the footsteps of his dad and uncle. While he was not able to join his father and uncle immediately in their 1,200-acre operation in Chesapeake, Va., he went out on his own to find work for other farmers. When ambition struck, it stuck. Upon asking for a raise and being turned down, Cutrell left farming and bought a truck, trailer, and started making hay in the demo business. Once he built up some cash, he traded in his trailer for a grain hopper trailer and returned to farming, his passion.
Cutrell rented land and worked hard. 17 years later, 120 acres has turned into the 5,000 acres of Cutrell Farms he works today. He grows corn, soybeans, and wheat. “Biosolids are the icing on the cake,” said Cutrell. He values its fertility on his corn crop, rapidly increasing its growth. During our visit, we saw excellent production, contest, and the remnants of sweet corn, of course, for family and neighbors.
Now, the 2022 National Corn Farmer of the Year and in the running for the 2023 Virginia Farmer of the Year, the road less traveled to Cutrell Farms has been filled with ambition and work ethic. Cutrell said, “I have been blessed. I can’t imagine doing anything else. In my experience the best business card is work itself.”
