Agricultural Land · KY · TN · IN
How to Buy a Working Farm
Without Bidding Against Five Buyers.
Off-market farms, hay ground, pasture, and row-crop tracts pulled from Tom's 43-year farmer network — most never hit the MLS.
The good farms move through phone calls, not listings. By the time a working farm gets posted online, the active farmer down the road already passed on it or the price has been run up by three out-of-state buyers. Tom Claycomb has spent four decades inside the farming community across central and western Kentucky — when an owner is ready to sell, he's often the first call.
Why It Works
Six Things That Make a Farm Actually Workable.
Pretty farms photograph well. Workable farms cash-flow. Tom checks the things that matter to the operator, not just the buyer chasing a view.
Tillable Acres vs. Total Acres
An 80-acre farm with 22 tillable acres is a different deal than an 80-acre farm with 70 tillable. Tom pulls the FSA records before listing or showing.
Soil Quality & Drainage
Soil class, drainage tile history, slope, erosion risk. Tom flags poor-drainage bottoms that flood every spring before you buy a tractor.
Water Sources
Springs, ponds, creeks, well capacity, frost-free hydrants. A cattle operation without reliable water is two months from a fire-sale.
Fencing & Cross-Fencing
Perimeter condition, age, cross-fence layout, gate placement. Re-fencing 80 acres runs $40K+ at current prices — knowing what you're inheriting matters.
Tenant-Farmer Relationships
Many farms come with a tenant farmer in place. Tom maintains relationships with most of the active operators in his counties — keeping the right ones, replacing the wrong ones.
Greenbelt & Ag Assessment
Tennessee Greenbelt, KY ag-assessment, Indiana classified-forest. Tom files the paperwork the first year — keeps the tax bill from tripling on closing day.
Proof of Work
43 Years. 15,000+ Deals.
One Operator.
“Tom called us three days before the seller listed it. We closed at $400 less per acre than the eventual list price would've been. That phone call paid for itself fifty times over.”
— Cattle operator, Meade County, KYThe Process
Four Steps. From Inquiry to Operating Farm.
Email Tom the Profile
Acreage, county, intended use (cattle, hay, row crop), budget. Reply inside 24 hours.
Off-Market Match
Tom checks his farmer network. Most matches come from a phone call, not the MLS.
Farm Walk
Tom walks the property with you — soil, water, fencing, infrastructure, tenant situation.
Negotiate & Close
Owner financing available on qualifying parcels. Greenbelt paperwork filed on day one.
Common Questions
Straight Answers
on How This Works.
What size farms does Tom typically work?
Anywhere from 10-acre supplemental tracts to 500+ acre family operations. The sweet spot of his network is 40-200 acres — both pure ag and combined ag-recreational properties.
Is owner financing available on agricultural tracts?
Yes — Tom structures owner-financed farm deals when the seller is open to it. Common on retired-farmer estates and farms where the family doesn't need the lump sum up front.
Can I keep the tenant farmer in place?
Often yes. If a working tenant is on the farm, Tom introduces you before close and walks the lease terms through with both sides. Continuity tends to favor the new owner.
What about water rights and creeks?
Kentucky, Tennessee, and Indiana all use riparian water rights for creeks and springs on the property. Tom flags any documented withdrawal limits, FEMA blue lines, or upstream-user concerns during diligence.
Do you cover row-crop ground specifically?
Yes — primarily in western Kentucky and southern Indiana. Tom maintains relationships with local grain operators and can run cash-rent comps for any tract you're considering.
Talk to Tom
Looking for a Working Farm? Tell Tom the Goal.
Acreage, county, intended use, timeline. Tom replies inside 24 hours with what's on his farmer-network shortlist — often before the property is listed.