Welcome to Flavour First
Experience Our Local Seasons
Welcome to our family farm.
Whether you’ve come to pick flowers, choose the perfect pumpkin, meet our Highland cows or simply enjoy a peaceful walk in the countryside, we’re delighted you’ve found us.
Flavour First has always been about celebrating the changing seasons and sharing the simple pleasures of farm life. But it didn’t start that way…
It Started with Flavour
William grew up on the family vegetable farm here in Donaghadee and always knew farming would be part of his future.
After spending several years managing large salad farms in Romania and Spain, supplying UK supermarkets, he found himself asking a simple question…
Why had flavour become less important than convenience?
Returning home in 2006, William founded Flavour First with one aim: to grow and share wholesome, seasonal produce that tasted as nature intended.
For fifteen years, the Donnan family harvested, packed and delivered homegrown and locally sourced vegetables across the local community.
❤️ A Family Affair
Leanne also comes from a farming family and, after studying Communications in Edinburgh, returned home to Northern Ireland.
William and Leanne married in 2008 and now share the farm with their two sons, Louis and Ruben.
Together, they’ve continued to grow the business while staying true to one simple idea:
Experience Our Local Seasons.
Along the way, Flavour First was proud to receive the Ards Business Award for Best Local Food Producer in both 2016 and 2018.
🌻 Following the Seasons
Then came Covid.
Like many businesses, we had to adapt. Our little vending machine became a lifeline for many local families, stocked with strawberries, free-range eggs and local produce.
But something else happened too.
We realised how much people valued spending time outdoors.
Fresh air.
Nature.
Simple moments together.
So we planted a sunflower field.
We hoped people would enjoy it.
We never imagined what would happen next.
Visitors came not just to see the flowers but to make memories.
One season led to another.
🌼 Spring daffodils.
🌻 Summer sunflowers.
🎃 Autumn pumpkins.
🌸 Dahlias.
💜 Dreams of Lavender Hill.
Every season bringing something new to discover.
Stay connected:
Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for Highland cow updates, event announcements, and a behind-the-scenes peek at life on the farm.
🐮 Meet the Herd
In 2021, our Highland cows arrived.
Originally chosen because they’re wonderfully suited to conservation grazing and biodiversity, they quickly became the stars of the farm.
Iona, Skye, Murren, Luna and Willow have captured the hearts of visitors young and old, becoming much-loved members of our family.
Alongside the herd, we’ve planted over 1,500 native trees to help create habitats for wildlife and protect the landscape for future generations.
💛 More Than a Farm
Supporting our local community is at the heart of what we do.
Over the years, our seasonal events have proudly supported charities including:
• NI Air Ambulance
• Action Mental Health
• NI Cancer Fund for Children
• NI Hospice
• The Gaitway Organisation
• U Hub
We believe farming is about bringing people together.
🌾 Looking Forward
Farming always teaches resilience.
Storm Darragh brought significant challenges to the farm, causing extensive damage to our growing spaces.
But every challenge brings an opportunity.
Today, The Hoop House welcomes visitors for workshops and gatherings.
The Collective supports local growers and makers.
New seasonal experiences continue to grow.
And we’re always dreaming up what’s next.
🌿 Celebrating 20 Years
This year marks twenty years of Flavour First.
What began as a vegetable box scheme has grown into something we could never have imagined.
A place where people can experience the seasons.
A place to slow down.
A place to reconnect with nature.
A place to make memories.
From our family to yours…
Thank you for visiting.
We hope you enjoy experiencing our local seasons as much as we’ve enjoyed sharing them with you.
William, Leanne, Louis, Ruben… and the rest of the Flavour First family. 🌻🐮✨
