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Bo and Katherine Harstine were looking for the best of both worlds.

The Franklin County Farm Bureau members both grew up around different aspects of agriculture. Bo grew up on a dairy farm outside of Sugarcreek, Ohio. Katherine grew up riding and caring for horses in Athens. He is currently director of research for Select Sires Inc. in Plain City, and she is a buyer for Rod’s Western Palace in Columbus.

The young couple first met while Bo was finishing his studies at Ohio State University and soon bought their first home together in Columbus. Their homeowners insurance was a Nationwide policy through the Leavitt Group Midwest, and it came in handy when they needed it.

“We relied on them pretty heavily,” Bo said. “There was roof damage and a water main break. We had priced everyone out and (Nationwide) had the best coverage for the best price. They made first-time home ownership, and the unexpected emergencies that came with it, manageable for us and were a great help while navigating the claims process and repairs.”

After time spent in the city, the Harstines were ready to find their “best of both worlds” place in the country.

“We wanted to have animals, but be close to everything,” Bo said. “We were looking for that sweet spot.”

Two years ago, the search for a place that would be near the city yet have enough land for livestock came to its rightful conclusion when the Harstines found a home in Brown Township, still in Franklin County. It is close to all the amenities of city and suburban life – Hilliard schools and Old Hillard – yet country enough for the Harstines to be directly surrounded by farmers and farmland.

“The stars aligned and we bought this place in 2020,” said Katherine, who noted that having an indoor riding arena for her horse Molly was an unexpected bonus of their new property. They plan to put down roots for a long time.

It was again the Leavitt Agency Midwest and Nationwide that helped them navigate the transition.

“When we upsized to a home with facilities for livestock, we were relieved when Nationwide again provided the best coverage options amongst the several companies we compared,” Bo said. “We have home, property, and auto policies with them now, and they definitely made sure we applied our Farm Bureau member discount.”