Career in ag real estate follows Air Force service

MONON, Ind. — From service in the Air Force to a career in agricultural real estate, Craig Stevenson’s journey has taken him around the world and then back home to Indiana.

Stevenson, co-owner of Geswein Farm & Land, shared his story with AgriNews.

Q: How did you make the decision to join the Air Force?

A: I went through the Purdue ROTC program. After graduation I commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Air Force.

The military has always been important in my family. I had one grandfather in the Navy and one in the Army.

My dad was in the Army, I had an uncle in the marines and another family member in the Air Force. That kind of drew me to it emotionally.

Q: Tell me about your time in the service.

A: I did four years active duty. I was stationed at McConnell Air Force Base for the first two and a half years. Then I spent seven months in Iraq managing a logistics contract that covered all of Iraq and Kuwait.

When I got back, I worked out of a Boeing facility to handle on-site issues regarding the remodeling of Air Force One, C-130 upgrades and the building of KC-46 tankers. After four years of active duty, I switched to reserves for nine more years based out of Chicago.

Q: What skills or qualities did the Air Force help you build?

A: One of the skill sets that I got from the Air Force was how to deal with different types of people. In the military, you serve with people from all 50 states. No matter what, you come up with a solution to solve the problem.

The military is big on having contingency plans, and that carries over into my job. I always have a plan B, C, D. My mindset is to look at all the possibilities and try to come up with as many options so we always have something to fall back on.

Q: Does Geswein Farm & Land cover the entire state of Indiana?

A: Yes, we focus on the entire state along with Illinois and Michigan.

Q: What are some ways families can continue a farm’s legacy?

A: I think if you truly want the farm to be a legacy, the kids need to take ownership of it before they inherit it. I get a lot of phone calls from people and they’re like, “OK, I just inherited this farm. I don’t have the slightest idea what my mom and dad used to do to manage the farm so I just want to sell it.”

We can help them manage the farm, but a lot of times they just want to sell it and move on.

Q: Do you have any advice for any of our farmer readers who are considering buying or selling farmland as they pick a real estate company to trust?

A: I think it’s always good to interview more than one person and find somebody that understands what you’re looking for, and what you’re trying to accomplish, and your timeline.

People who are in tune with the market also may be more prepared to react when property becomes available.

Q: How has the farm market looked from your point of view in Indiana so far in 2025?

A: So far in Indiana in 2025, especially on quality ground, things are generally increasing. It’s on par with where we were a year ago. In some places we’ve seen some good surprises.

Average quality ground is still selling pretty well. On below-quality ground, $4 corn is starting to affect things there.

There are not quite as many buyers out there as there were two years ago, but I still think there are enough buyers out there. The supply of land on the market hasn’t overwhelmed the demand yet.