Doing It Their Way

Erickson brothers take pride in being hands-on farmland managers

Above: Brothers Nick and Bradley Erickson look forward to seeing what they harvest this fall after a late planting season this spring. Opposite page: From left to right, Nick Erickson, Bradley Erickson and their Compeer Financial Officer Corey Bull are pictured in front of the Ericksons recently expanded grain setup that was completed in early fall of 2018.

MILAN, Ill. – Leaned up against the counter of their machine shop, Nick and Bradley Erickson field questions about the first decade of farming land on their own – finishing each other’s sentences like only brothers and business partners can.

Representing the seventh generation of their family to farm, they attribute the support and guidance of the two generations before them to their understanding of the grain industry.

“Our dad and grandpa gave us hands-on experience early on,” Nick said. “It wasn’t just understanding the equipment, but being candid and transparent with the financials of the operation.”

“We have always made decisions as a team,” Bradley added. “We’ve helped each other through some stressful times, and being open to each other’s ideas has led Nick and me to become better managers.”

GETTING THEIR FEET WET

After graduating high school and earning their college degrees in farm management, Nick and Bradley got their first opportunity to rent land on their own.

“A family friend helped get us started by renting us his farm right out of college,” Nick said. Bradley noted that it was a farm located in the Mississippi River bottom. “The first year we farmed it, we had to do it three times due to historic flooding. It was definitely a learning curve,” Bradley added with a chuckle.

The Erickson brothers have gained more rental opportunities over the years by making connections in their community and proving their value by how they tend to the land they rent.

“When someone entrusts us to farm their land, that’s a huge honor,” Nick said. “We want them to trust we will be good stewards of the land and know when they see a piece of equipment pull into their field, it’s always one of us – we take pride in being hands-on with every piece of land we run.”

PROVEN PARTNERSHIPS

In recent years, Nick and Bradley have invested in building more grain storage, saying it allows them to be more efficient at harvest time and better handle their grain.

“It’s been a good return on investment,” Bradley said. “We want to make those types of strategic decisions that will help safeguard our future as managers and stewards of the land.” officer, Corey Bull, at Compeer Financial since day one. “We can trust Corey with everything, which is really important to us,” Nick said. “There may be some things we don’t want to tell him, but we trust that he always has our backs.”

Milan, Ill.

Nick and wife, Kelsey (local high school teacher) Bradley and wife, Sarah (nurse), have two small children

Parents are David and Tammy; Grandparents are Wayne and Carol

Nick and Bradley farm 1,000 acres corn and soybeans.

Together with David and Wayne, they farm a total of 3,400 acres.

Bradley and Nick are also seed dealers for DeKalb Asgrow, which they credit with allowing them to stay connected to other farmers within the community.

Bradley added that Corey is more than a lender. “He has been more like a counselor to us as we’ve gotten our start,” he said.

“That trust goes both ways,” Corey said. “[Compeer does] things the right way, and being open with each other is a two-way street.”

STAYING ON TRACK

When they look to the future, Nick and Bradley want to focus on sustaining a good living for their families, while maintaining what they’ve established and pursuing growth when it makes sense. Their goals are to continue fostering relationships with their landlords, improving the land they run and being a part of the community.

“We also hope to one day take over what our dad and grandpa have built,” Nick said.

Bradley added, “But until then, we will continue to work as a team – supporting each other and counting our blessings that each and every day we get to do what we love alongside family.”