The Little Sugar River Farm is an extraordinary place with a diverse range of potential uses.

Surrounded on almost three sides by approximately 1,700 acres of state wildlife refuge, this is a spot where a person can feel closer to natures beauty. The farm is on a quiet road, not a busy highway, and the house is set back nearly a quarter mile from the road. The property is extremely peaceful, offering proximity to natural processes: dramatic thunderstorms, dragonflies perched on sunlit walls, the muffled silence of a snowstorm, the chorus of spring peepers on an April evening. It is a true refuge from the chaos and coarseness of modern life -- a place of peace and privacy, calm and order.

The farmhouse is an architectural gem. To paraphrase the jury representing the Wisconsin Chapter of the American Institute of Architects which selected the house for an Honor Award in 2000, the house is an elegant yet simple 1,600-square-foot example of American vernacular architecture. Set at the edge of a wildlife preserve with views of a distant moraine, the house has exposed structural framing and raised battens reminiscent of early 20th century farm buildings. French doors open to a large back porch, which looks out over fields, prairie, woodlot, wildlife preserve, and moraines.

Interior flooring, cabinets, and furniture were custom designed for their specific location and built of cherry and oak harvested from the woodlot. Within the main room of the house, three walls of windows flood the interior with light. Vaulted ceilings in the main room create an feeling of openness. A massive cherry sofa, dining table, and wood stove anchor the living space. The furniture throughout the house was hand-crafted by local woodworkers.

The propertys 19.42 acres are bordered by approximately 1700 acres of state wildlife area, ensuring privacy and proximity to relatively undisturbed land and the wildlife and natural beauty it offers. Bird life is diverse,and skies are often quite dramatic, especially as the sun sets over the state land.

The grounds include several stages of restored prairie, an orchard of mature apple and pear trees, some older perennial plantings of asparagus, raspberries, and grapes, several acres of pasture, many tilled strips which are are ideal for home gardening, 4-5 acres of woodlot, and 5 acres of tilled ground that could be used for more prairie, pasture, or gardening.

There are 3 principal structures on the property, all designed by KEE Architecture of Madison.

The outdoor features that deserve mention include:

Several acres of prairie plantings with a broad range of native grasses and flowering plants. Th e owner has worked

for years with Taylor Creek Restoration Nursery of Brodhead, WI on the ever-evolving challenge of restoring

native plantings.

An orchard with 20 apple and pear trees, most of which are mature and fruit-bearing.

A row of flowering crab apples along the driveway.

Several acres of tilled ground that could be used for prairie, pasture, or gardening.

Several acres of pasture

A small pond that fills with water in the winter and provides a home for spring frogs. Though the pond tends to dry out in the summer, it supports a thriving plant community of cattails, willows, grasses, goldenrods etc. There is a water line running to the pond so a future owner could decide to keep it filled in the summer for swimming.

5 acre woodlot which provides aesthetic beauty, a home for wildlife, an abundance of firewood, and many happy hours of woodlot management in the early spring (one of the owners favorite activities).

Screened gazebo with gravel floor and fire pit. A local machine shop custom fabricated the benches, tables, and fire pit grating, making it possible to enjoy cooking over wood, dining al fresco, and relaxing around a fire.

Private outdoor shower with hot and cold water. The outdoor shower is one of the pleasures of summertime at the Little Sugar River Farm, particularly on a warm night full of moonlight and fireflies. (The outdoor shower needs to be rebuilt, and the owner will take care of this).

Chicken yard with solid fencing. There is a coop with a shelter, a screened run, and nesting boxes. Within the fence, there are also several thousand square feet for the birds to roam.

The old chicken coop was turned into a safe and clean tiny house. Children might enjoy camping out in that building or using it for play. If needed, it could also house an adult guest in a fun, unusual way.

Prairie flower nursery. About 10 years ago several hundred 2-3 pots of prairie flower transplants were put into a small part of the perennial garden, and now there are thousands of mature prairie flowers that can be transplanted to extend the established prairie. They could also be sold or shared with friends. Plants in the nursery include nodding wild onion, monarda, cup plant, thread leaf coreopsis, new england aster, yellow cone flower, purple coneflower, and several varieties of goldenrod.

Approx 1000 of tilled 6 wide garden strips ideal for home gardening, separated by grass walkways.

Irrigation system fed by a 70 gallon/minute high capacity well and a hydrant in the middle of the property. 20 and 30ft sections of connectable irrigation pipe, some with sprinklers that can spray water up to 40-50, are able to provide irrigation water throughout the property

Versatile lawn space for activities, sports, tents, and entertainment.

Perennial garden of asparagus, raspberries, and grapes, which do need attention to continue to bear.

Maturing trees on lawn to create shade in summer and increase privacy. These trees include maple, red oak, hackberry linden, burr oak, honey locust, and birch.

Fifteen acres have been completely fenced.

The property is surrounded on 2.5 sides by ~ 1700 acres of the Albany State Wildlife Area, which provides open space for hiking, dog-walking, boating, biking, fishing, and hunting.

The birding is spectacular. Sandhill cranes dance and nest in the restored prairie, and grassland birds are abundant. Feeders attracts cardinals, grosbeaks, nuthatches, woodpeckers, hummingbirds, and finches, while the woodlot hosts migrant warblers. Mourning doves, barred owls, herons, woodcocks, whippoorwills, ducks, pheasants, turkey, meadowlarks, and geese are all abundant.

The proximity of several low wet areas both on the property and in the DNR land make for a vibrant community of amphibians. Especially in the spring, frogs create a chorus of sound that is a harbinger of warmer weather and a comfort to hear on a cool spring evening.

This is an excellent area for road cycling and for rails-to-trails biking. The Little Sugar River Farm has easy access to the trail system. The 20 mile Sugar River Trail that runs from New Glarus to Brodhead passes about 1/3 mile from the property. It is a great resource for walking, running and biking. The Sugar River Trail crosses the Badger State Trail about 4 miles to the west in Monticello. On the Badger State Trail one can ride north to Madison or south to the Illinois border where the trail joins the Jane Addams Trail which runs a further 19 miles south to Freeport IL.