Meet our growers

Martin Gaffney

Director of Farms/Agronomist
Donnelly Fruit and Veg

Martin Gaffney is the director of farms and head agronomist at Donnelly’s Group. A 3rd-generation fruit and veg business owned by Ciaran and Ronan Donnelly, Donnnelly’s produce up to 57,000kg of Tenderstem® broccoli during the Irish season, growing the versatile vegetable across several farms located in North County Dublin.

The hand harvested Tenderstem® broccoli is supplied to some of the leading Irish retailers, as well as to wholesale markets and food service companies. Typically, the first Irish harvest of Tenderstem® broccoli takes place in mid-June and will continue right into early November. As well as growing their favourite stem-sational vegetable, Donnelly’s also grow a wide range of other brassica crops all year-round including cabbage, cauliflower and regular broccoli. During the summer months they are busy growing spinach, rocket and basil. In Autumn they also grow Pumpkins for Halloween!

Martin and his 25-strong team at Donnelly’s started growing Tenderstem® broccoli in 2014 and even though Martin acknowledges “Tenderstem® broccoli is without doubt the most challenging crop we grow at the farm, I believe our attention to detail, good agronomy and ‘hands on approach’ to growing the brilliant brassica has proven to be a recipe for success!”

Martin and his family love their greens and he has shared his favourite way of cooking Tenderstem® broccoli with us:

“In our household we love to eat Tenderstem® broccoli very lightly steamed, to retain maximum flavour and texture. It brings a healthy, fresh green contrast to a colourful stir-fry with garlic, onion, mushroom, red pepper and baby corn. Tossed and turned for 10 minutes with a generous splash of soy sauce, dished out over fine noodles. Served with a glass of red wine. Yum!”