By DOUG GRAVES
Ohio Correspondent

TRENTON, Ohio — Anthony Haines grew up in a small house on two acres near Muncie, Ind. While he lived in that rural community, he knew nothing about farming, or any aspect of agriculture, for that matter.

“But I’ve always had a thing for animals, and growing up in Muncie our family always had some kind of animal around on that two acres – like a pony, calf or a pig,” said Haines, now 45. “I had an uncle and a cousin who farmed, but I never did.”

Haines and his wife, Tracy, moved to Landon, Ohio, in 1999. Landon was enjoying an urban sprawl at the time and was considered one of the fastest growing municipalities in the state. Over the next seven years the couple made moves to Mason and Liberty Township, places where rural acreage is nearly nonexistent.
“You couldn’t have farm animals in Landon or Mason,” Haines said.
Then, in 2008, the couple and their children (Brooke, Brett, Bailey and Blake) purchased a small farmhouse on 51 acres on Withrow Road near Trenton.

In Butler County, they filled the house with antique furniture, then added two horses and two dogs.

“We looked and looked until we found a place that we could afford, one with the best scenario,” Haines said. “It was one of those for-sale-by-owner deals, and things worked out.”

The family’s intention was to get away from any congested city, and this farm, with its rolling hills and numerous trees three miles from the city of Trenton, was just the place.

“I wanted a place out in the country and I was hoping to have a barn,” he said. “All I ever wanted, in addition to a small house, was a barn. It’s just something about these old barns. It ties me in with the past. It’s just part of history.”

With the purchase price came a pole barn and a swine containment facility. “A lot of people thought I was crazy,” Haines said. “All I wanted was a barn to remind me of the past. I got a little more that that.”

A tall silo ties Haines to the past, too.

“The silo can’t be used for anything, but I’ll never tear it down,” he said.

“It’s another reminder of the past.”

Now the Haines clan has 12 goats, two calves, three horses, chickens, two dogs and three cats. All the animals will come in handy, since three of their children are involved with 4-H.
Crops on this farm? Not likely. “I do have hay,” he said. “I don’t have enough tillable land for things like corn or soybeans. Right now I just have the basics. I have two tractors, a mower and some rakes.

Some local farmers have loaned me a wagon for my hay, and one loaned me an elevator to get the hay in the loft.”

On his days off – he works full-time as a quality engineer – he walks much of his premises, wondering how to improve things on his newly-purchased farm.

“My mind is in a whirl,” Haines said. “I don’t plan on making agriculture my living. I have a great full-time job off the farm. But I’d like to make the farm somewhat profitable.

“All in all, things have worked out, and we have no regrets.”