Family rejects builders so farm can stay a farm County purchases development rights for 9 acres in Monroe BY JESSICA SMITH Staff Writer MONROE - The Farmer family is living up to its name. The family's 9-acre tract, the Superior Horse Farm of New Jersey, is the 10th farm in the township to be preserved for posterity through the Middlesex County Farmland Preservation program. "The program is as successful as it is because our state and municipal partners share our commitment of preserving as much open space as possible," said Camille Fernicola, county freeholder and liaison to the county's Agricultural Development Board. "But the county Farmland Preservation program could never work without the commitment of our residents. We are indebted to the Farmer family and the other families who have decided to preserve their farms and, as a result, the agricultural heritage of Middlesex County." The Farmers purchased the property on Old Forge Road in December 1979 and opened the horse farm for business a year later. They put their home on the land 15 years ago, William Farmer said. "I bought it, [and] it was a jungle," Farmer said. To the family, the tract was worth all the hard work it took to bring it to where it is today. William's wife, Sharon, along with their two youngest children, Meghan, 18, and Shamus, 21, enjoy their work on the farm and look forward to its continuation, Farmer said. "That's it. We're the crew," Farmer said. The family has about 25 horses there, and they offer riding lessons to anyone from the age of two on up. They also offer pony rides for special occasions, group riding events, singles nights and boarding for horse owners. In addition, the Farmers buy and sell horses, and offer training to horses owned by others. For the past seven years, the farm has hosted trail rides to benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., an institution that accepts patients regardless of their ability to pay. Aside from a love for their work, an influence from Meghan and Shamus helped to cement the Farmers' decision to preserve their land. "The two youngest children wanted to keep it," Farmer said. "We thought, [the town] has got enough houses. They don't need to build anymore houses." A multitude of developers, however, disagreed. "Everybody wanted to buy it," Farmer said. "They said I have 12 building lots, which would have grossed me at least about $200,000 per lot. But we love living here." The Farmers applied to the Farmland Preservation program about three years ago. The total cost of the development rights to the farm was $407,520. The state contributed $244,512; the county paid $90,560, and the township contributed $72,448. With the addition of the Superior Horse Farm, 38 farms totaling 3,326 acres have been preserved by the county's Farmland Preservation program, according to Alan Danser, chairman of the Middlesex County Agricultural Development Board. He said 51 farms throughout the county, encompassing 4,868 acres of farmland, have been preserved by the state, county, municipalities and one nonprofit organization. As the years go on, Meghan and Shamus will continue the work started by their parents while also embarking on their respective careers. Meghan is an accomplished opera singer, having sang in Italy for two weeks this year, while also performing at such reputable venues as Carnegie Hall. "She's quite a singer," Farmer said. "We're looking forward to making a lot of money." Shamus, who was raised in the church, will go into the ministry. In all, the Farmers have raised nine children, not to mention the horses. "It's called not knowing when to quit," Farmer joked. Apparently, that resolve not to quit has translated to their thriving farm and business, which will not be going anywhere. "I didn't want to see it go to housing," Farmer said. "Hopefully, we'll leave something preserved in this world."