William Daven Farr
At 15, William Daven Farr worked on a ranch near Hayden, Colorado. At 19, he left Colorado to attend the University of Wisconsin. Not long after, Farr came home to help with the family farm.
Farr worked on the farm until 1940, when he talked his father into raising cattle in addition to the lamb that they already owned. They bought 125 heads of cattle and after much success, they invested in a feedlot. Today, the feedlot is called Farr Feeders and is located east of Greeley, Colorado.
While working on the farm, Farr worked with several irrigation companies, allowing him to see the vital role water played in keeping Greeley alive and growing. Later on, Farr would become a dynamic player in the Big Thompson Water Project, a venture that would bring water from the western slopes of the Rocky Mountains to eight counties in the Northern Colorado region.
In addition to his role in the Big Thompson Water Project, Farr served as an advisor to the US Department of Agriculture under US Presidents Harry Truman, John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon. During this time, Farr represented the US Feed and Grains Council, traveling to other countries to talk with their agricultural leaders. Farr was also voted president of the Greeley Water Board, and was active in the National Cattlemen's Association, serving as president in 1970.
W.D. has been inducted into many groups, and some of his honors include induction into the Colorado Business Hall of Fame in 1991, Colorado Agricultural Hall of Fame in 1995, Denver Western Stock Show Citizen of the West in 1999, and the Hall of Great Westerners in 2007.
On August 13, 2007 William Daven Farr died at the age of 97. Those who knew him best described him as a pioneer rancher, water expert, financier, and visionary. Today, Farr’s legacy lives on in the form of parks, schools, libraries, and water plants. Many argue that without W.D. Farr and his hard work, Northern Colorado would not be the same today.
Farr worked on the farm until 1940, when he talked his father into raising cattle in addition to the lamb that they already owned. They bought 125 heads of cattle and after much success, they invested in a feedlot. Today, the feedlot is called Farr Feeders and is located east of Greeley, Colorado.
While working on the farm, Farr worked with several irrigation companies, allowing him to see the vital role water played in keeping Greeley alive and growing. Later on, Farr would become a dynamic player in the Big Thompson Water Project, a venture that would bring water from the western slopes of the Rocky Mountains to eight counties in the Northern Colorado region.
In addition to his role in the Big Thompson Water Project, Farr served as an advisor to the US Department of Agriculture under US Presidents Harry Truman, John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon. During this time, Farr represented the US Feed and Grains Council, traveling to other countries to talk with their agricultural leaders. Farr was also voted president of the Greeley Water Board, and was active in the National Cattlemen's Association, serving as president in 1970.
W.D. has been inducted into many groups, and some of his honors include induction into the Colorado Business Hall of Fame in 1991, Colorado Agricultural Hall of Fame in 1995, Denver Western Stock Show Citizen of the West in 1999, and the Hall of Great Westerners in 2007.
On August 13, 2007 William Daven Farr died at the age of 97. Those who knew him best described him as a pioneer rancher, water expert, financier, and visionary. Today, Farr’s legacy lives on in the form of parks, schools, libraries, and water plants. Many argue that without W.D. Farr and his hard work, Northern Colorado would not be the same today.
