Panorama of Ballard Farm

The soil must be man's most Treasured Possession. So He who tends the soil wisely and with care is assuredly the foremost among men. Sir George Stapleton

About Ballard Farm

One of the herd

Ballard Organic Farm, which is also an open farm or visitor farm, has been owned and operated by the Lalor family since 1844. During the following 100 years the farm was in reality, operated as an organic farm. For the next 50 years, it joined in the industrial revolution which took place in farming involving the use of synthetic chemicals to boost crop and animal production and to control unwanted weeds and diseases.

My late father, Thomas J. Lalor, who passed away in 1987, was an innovator in many ways in modern Irish farming during that era. In July 1939 he erected a windmill for pumping water to cattle, which replaced having to pump by hand.

Farm Visits

Ballard Farm Visitor Center

Ballard Farm has been visited by many groups over the years. In 1998 I decided to develop this interest into a commercial enterprise. A visitor center was developed from a 300 year old cow house which was in need of renovation. We now receive visits from groups from many parts of the world and these visitors may or may not be from an agricultural back ground. For groups from a non-agriculural background, the visit is an insight to an authentic modern Irish organic farm and to the life of the farmer and his family. For those directly involved in agriculture, the visit focuses on technical information.

Our Products

Check out our products at Kilbeggan Organic Foods all made from Organic Oats grown on the Lalor family farm.