Have you ever wanted to own a vineyard? Or live on a hobby farm with horses?
You can do both at a double-the-pleasure ranch and vineyard spread across nearly 11 acres in River Falls, Wis.
Owners Ken Tice and Sara Sweetser sold their home in Woodbury and moved to country acreage to follow their dreams. They bought the property, which includes a five-bedroom sprawling farmhouse, in 2009.
Sweetser and her daughters rode in state competitions and now she had a place to ride and board her two horses.
Tice, a wine collector and connoisseur, built a climate-controlled 4,000-bottle wine cellar with a tasting table in the basement. He also planted an irrigated vineyard filled with Marquette and Brianna grapes developed at the University of Minnesota.
"The vineyards are fully functional," said Tice. "The new owner can select their own varietals."
The couple named it "Silver Lining" ranch and settled into tranquil country living. "There's no stoplights or traffic," said Tice. "All we hear is birds and wildlife."
After moving in, Tice's long list of improvements include new fencing and two horse paddocks with heated water stations. He renovated the indoor riding arena and added competition grade footings of ground-up Nike tennis shoes and sand. Tice also installed a geothermal heating and cooling system that delivers in-floor heat. Cosmetic updates were completed inside the farmhouse.
In spring, 62 crabapple trees they planted are bursting with pink blooms and fill the air with perfume, along the long curving driveway.
But now that their children have left the nest, Tice and Sweetser are retiring at their lake cottage. He's done mowing the vast lawn and tending the vineyard. It's time for a young family to take over, he said.
"It has everything you need to manage a horse ranch and grow grapes," said Tice.
Other features:
• The 6,200-square-foot farmhouse, built in 2002, has five bedrooms and four bathrooms.
• Finished full walkout basement with a recreation room.
• Wine drinking spot by a fireplace outside the wine cellar.
• Indoor riding arena and four heated stalls.
• Backyard gardens and pond, patio with a fire pit, outdoor kitchen and gazebo.
• The ranch is near the Kinnickinnic State Park, and Hudson and River Falls.
Robert Speer, of Edina Realty, has the listing.
