Situated on a ridge above the rolling hills of Cazenovia,Wisconsin,  Firth of Fifth Acres is a 30-acre homestead dedicated to community enrichment through our efforts with sustainable farming. Working with Bob Johnson of Midwest Bio-Ag in soil and forage development, we are constantly working toward our own land improvement and thus the larger improvement of our local resources.

Working with a variety of sheep breeds as well as guardian livestock, we work toward an honest and sustainable farming model that puts family and community first.  From the very historically excellent Shetland Sheep to the improving Wensleydale sheep, the small homestead has options that are endless and very worthy of every effort to sustain their growth.

We choose breeds of livestock according to the time and reality of our evolving landscape.  One such breed is a guarding stock:  Llamas.  Funny, outrageously unwilling to work with most situations, the guardian llama is still one of the very best guards a small homestead could home.

Dust baths are the best Llama way of avoiding such human contact as shearing!

Throughout this website you will find information about sustainable farming philosophy and practice, choices for and realities of small ruminants and waterfowl and the ups and downs of working within the limitations of a small homestead.  We enjoy talking with other families and look forward to assisting you in your own homesteading dreams.

FARM CHANGE NOTICE  6/26/08

Living in the Mid-West is as complex as living anywhere these days.  Like any farm we are controlled entirely by the climate -economic and environmental- and must make decisions based upon it.

As heavy rains hit our community in June we were forced to remember anew that the Earth has her own rules and we are simple children to her larger plan.  We have lived through yet another year of eroding soils from high rains; dams broken, waters tossing roads by yards and, as remarkable as it is sad, pastures and fields of food completely lost to flooding.

As the waters recede we are confronted with multiple layers of responsibilities; the most important of which is the immediate care of the land and livestock we are committed to supporting upon it.  We know that the economy will stabilize eventually.  It is still wise to place stock in ideal situations when their welfare will be more easily and simply addressed, rather than wait for the possible additional disaster or economic slide and the potential for rushed and traumatic changes.

We have decided to drastically reduce our stock for at least few years of recovery. At this point, our entire Wensleydale flock -except our prime ram-  has already been sold.  Most of our cull animals have left the farm and we are offering our first groups of "Very Good" classed Shetland and Cross sheep on the Stock Sales pages. 

Three of our top guard llamas are offered to an appropriate situation free of charge (we are willing to share the pre-movement vet check for them with the right situation).  The mother-daughter duo shown in the dust bath photo above (must go together) and one of our gelding guards are available to any family situation in which we are certain they will be properly cared for.  Contact us for further information.

We have sold our entire group of American Buff Geese.  Our thanks to each of you that contacted us about them.

Check our Stock for sale pages for further information.

Animals are such agreeable friends.
They ask no questions; they pass no criticisms.
George Eliot

info@finer-fleeces.com