Danny Darnell, who farms in Hillsboro in north Alabama's Tennessee Valley, literally started with nothing, baling hay for the public and working his own farm whenever there was time – whatever it took to make a living. Darnell’s love for the land was passed on to his sons Jared and Heath, both of whom were eager to return to the farm after finishing their educations at Auburn University. Today, the Darnells farm about 5,500 acres altogether, split between cotton, corn and soybeans followed by wheat, and the success of that operation has earned Danny the 2014 Southeast High Cotton Award.