The Hoard's Dairyman Farm was purchased in 1899 by W. D. Hoard

William D. Hoard

William Dempster Hoard was the 16th Governor of the U.S. state of Wisconsin from 1889 to 1891.-Early life:...

, a former governor of Wisconsin

Wisconsin

Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...

 and publisher of Hoard's Dairyman

Hoard's Dairyman

Hoard's Dairyman is an American magazine with international circulation. Known as the National Dairy Farm magazine, it contains articles about and for the dairy industry.-History:...

magazine. Hoard's primary motivation in operating the farm was to prove that alfalfa

Alfalfa

Alfalfa is a flowering plant in the pea family Fabaceae cultivated as an important forage crop in the US, Canada, Argentina, France, Australia, the Middle East, South Africa, and many other countries. It is known as lucerne in the UK, France, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand, and known as...

 could be grown in northern climates. He demonstrated practical methods of growing, harvesting, and preserving the crop. He further showed that it could be used as a high-quality feed for dairy cattle

Dairy cattle

Dairy cattle are cattle cows bred for the ability to produce large quantities of milk, from which dairy products are made. Dairy cows generally are of the species Bos taurus....

. Today, alfalfa is a staple in dairy cattle rations nationwide.

The farm maintains the oldest continuously registered herd of Guernsey cattle

Guernsey cattle

The Guernsey is a breed of cattle used in dairy farming. It is fawn and white in colour, and is particularly renowned for the rich flavour of its milk, as well as its hardiness and docile disposition.-Milk:...

 in the country. For over a century, the herd was housed in the same barn that was purchased by Hoard in 1899. It was enlarged several times to a final capacity of eighty cows. In the summer of 2007, the herd was moved to a new, state of the art free-stall facility and expanded to 270 milking cows.

The farm is located in the Town of Koshkonong

Koshkonong, Wisconsin

Koshkonong is a town in Jefferson County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 3,395 at the 2000 census. The town entirely surrounds the city of Fort Atkinson. The unincorporated communities of Blackhawk Island, Koshkonong Mounds, and Vinnie Ha Ha are located in the town...

, Wisconsin, USA

Wisconsin

Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...

, just north of Fort Atkinson

Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin

Fort Atkinson is a city in Jefferson County, Wisconsin, United States. It is located on the Rock River, a few miles upstream from Lake Koshkonong. In 1996, Money Magazine named Fort Atkinson "One of America's Hottest Little Boomtowns." The population was 11,621 at the 2000 census.- History :Fort...

.