Hoard's Dairyman Farm facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Hoard's Dairyman Farm
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The old barn and Guernsey cows at the Hoard's Dairyman Farm
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| Nearest city | Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin |
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| Area | 173.7 acres (70.3 ha) |
| Built | 1899 |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 78000105 |
| Added to NRHP | August 29, 1978 |
The Hoard's Dairyman Farm is located just north of Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin. It was bought in 1899 by W. D. Hoard, who used to be the governor of Wisconsin. Hoard used this farm like a science lab to try out new ideas for his magazine, Hoard's Dairyman. For example, he tested how to use a plant called alfalfa to feed dairy cows.
Contents
The Farm's Early Days
This farm started in the mid-1800s with a person named Asa Snell. A lot has changed since Snell's time, but some of his original buildings are still there. These include the farmhouse from 1845, a shed for machines and cars, a barn for horses and young cows, and the main part of the dairy barn.
Snell's farmhouse is a two-story building built in the Italianate style. Its walls are made of bricks from a brickyard nearby, which Snell owned with Milo Jones. The house has different sections, including a kitchen wing that leads to a summer kitchen. The roof of the house was originally flat. When Hoard bought the farm, he changed the flat roofs to hip roofs, which have slopes on all sides.
Who Was W. D. Hoard?
William D. Hoard bought the farm in 1899. Before that, he had a very busy life. He fought in the Civil War. He also edited a newspaper called the Jefferson County Union.
Hoard was very interested in farming, especially dairy farming. He started the Wisconsin Dairyman's Association. In 1885, he created a very important farming magazine called Hoard's Dairyman. He even served one term as the governor of Wisconsin from 1889 to 1891. Even though he was involved in politics, Hoard always cared deeply about farming and finding better, more scientific ways to raise dairy cows. He bought the farm to test the ideas he wrote about in his magazine.
Amazing Discoveries at Hoard's Farm
The Hoard's Dairyman Farm was a place where many important new ideas for dairy farming were tested. Here are some of the big changes that came from the farm:
Growing Alfalfa for Cows
Alfalfa is a type of plant that farmers grow to feed animals. Hoard showed that this plant could grow well even in colder northern areas. He also taught farmers how to grow, harvest, and store it properly. Most importantly, he proved that alfalfa was excellent, high-quality food for dairy cows. Today, alfalfa is a main food source for dairy cows all over the country.
Keeping Good Farm Records
The Hoard farm started keeping detailed records about their cows in 1905. They kept a "herd book" for all the animals. They also recorded how much milk each cow produced, going back to 1920. These records helped farmers make smart choices about their animals and farming methods.
Using Silos for Feed
Silos are tall structures used to store animal feed. The farm experimented with an economical way to store feed by fermenting it, rather than drying it. This fermented feed is called silage. This method helped farmers store food for their cows more easily and cheaply.
Fighting Cow Diseases
Hoard started a campaign in 1895 to stop a disease called bovine tuberculosis (TB) in cows. He continued this important work at the farm. Getting rid of TB helped keep dairy herds healthy.
Loose Pen Housing for Cows
In 1912, Hoard began to suggest keeping cows in large, open pens instead of individual stalls. His goal was to save money on building costs and reduce the work needed to care for the cows. Today, this "loose pen housing" is a very common way to keep dairy cattle.
Herd Testing Programs
Starting in 1917, Hoard's farm played a big role in creating the "herd test" program. This program helped farmers learn more about their cows' milk production and how to improve their herds. It also led to research on "proved sires" (male cows that produce good offspring) and "brood cows" (female cows that are good mothers). The U.S. Department of Agriculture helped with this research.
Raising Special Dairy Cows
The Hoard's Dairyman Farm has the oldest continuously registered herd of Guernsey cattle in the United States. This means they have been raising these specific cows for over a century and keeping careful records. For a long time, the cows lived in the same barn that Hoard bought in 1899. This barn was made bigger several times to hold up to eighty cows. In the summer of 2007, the cows moved to a new, very modern facility. This new barn allows them to house and milk 270 cows.
