Backboned by a wealth of experience and knowledge of the agricultural sector, when farmers employ the services of Keith Allen Agricultural Contractor, they are guaranteed peace of mind that all work will be completed to a high standard.
The long-established Ballybay-based operation covers Monaghan, Cavan, Louth and Meath and is recognised for his first-class service and, most importantly, reliability. They can undertake a wide variety of works with no job too small.
Keith’s fleet of 19 Massey Ferguson tractors and associated machinery ensures he and his team are always available to provide the best possible service.
The majority of their work has been generated by word of mouth. Keith firmly believes if they make a good job of something, the work will come to them. Their number one priority is quality service.
“I pride myself on service and when I tell a man I’ll be there I will always be there,” Keith outlined in conversation with Irish Tractor & Agri. “My customers will stand by me for saying that. Reliability is crucial to farmers and that’s why they stick with me.
“And, I have to say, my customers are very good to me, they look after me well. I have my regular customers every year, they stand by me every year. I’m working with some of my customers since 1995 so they are obviously satisfied with our work and the service we provide.”
Very much a family orientated business, Keith is ably assisted in the day-to-day running of the Keith Allen Agricultural Contractors by his wife Shirley, son Mark, brother Jim and nephews Stephen and Adrian.
A continuous policy of continuous investment in state-of-the-art machinery is central to their commitment to meeting the needs of the farmers they work for.
“We have three sets of Butterfly Mowers and a Fendt 939, one brand new BiG M 450, hree Claas Self Propels Harvesters, two JCB loaders, four Rakes and a McHale Fusion baler,” Keith revealed.
“The silage season is shorter now, I had to buy faster equipment to do it in the shorter season.
“We do an awful lot of pipe slurry, currently at the minute we have six pipe systems on the road in the Springtime.”
Keith also has three maize planters on the go which are kept busy during that period of the year when the crop is sown. Reseeding and ploughing are also other services provided, while digger work is carried out for local farmers as well as some GAA grounds.
Keith answered when asked how business has been going of late; “We are always busy, there’s never too many slack days but no matter how busy things get we never work on a Sunday. It’s a day of rest!”
Benjamin Franklin once said that “if you want something done, ask a busy person”. There’s merit to that statement as busy people are able to get more done in a day because they don’t waste time.
In Keith’s case, as well as running a widely renowned contracting business, he also farms 145 acres which is stocked with beef and sheep as the lamb down 350 ewes every year. They also have their own tanker that draws slurry from farms and piggeries.
As regards what the future may hold in store for Keith Allen Agricultural Contractors, the man himself predicts major changes coming down the tracks across the country’s agricultural landscape.
“I think that, in the future, you are going to have to be very big to stay in business. Farmers are going to have to do things on a mass scale and if they don’t, it’s going to be difficult to survive.
“One of the biggest challenges we are going to face is getting good workers. I’m lucky, I still have a lot of my staff, my full-time staff are very good and reliable, the likes of Derek Moffet, Ciaran Sherry, Sean Murphy and Enda McGahey have been with me a very long time. I’m very lucky and blessed with good workers but part-time staff is getting harder and harder to get.”
If you haven’t the time or are unable to do a job yourself, Keith and his team has the capabilities to cater for your needs. That explains why he has been able to secure repeat contracts with the local farming community and beyond.
With a range of agricultural contracting services, modern and reliable equipment, plus a highly skilled workforce, they will help keep your farm running smoothly and efficiently.
Keith Allen Agricultural Contractor
Ballybay
Co Monaghan
First published in Irish Tractor & Agri magazine Vol 10 No 3, May/June 2022
Keith Allen Agricultural Contractor
