The Green Apron is a small Artisan Preserve company run by Theresa Storey (with the assistance of her family). We are situated in Derryclough , Ballingarry, County Limerick overlooking Knockfierna, the famous fairy hill. We make a fabulous range of jams, marmalades, chutneys, ketchups, sauces, herb mixes, butters, mustards and pickles using secret family recipes.

We have been producing and selling our products for over 30 years at the Milk Market in Limerick City. Find us there every Saturday morning.

Our preserves are made in our farmhouse kitchen. The preserves are made using traditional methods and are made in small batches from home grown and locally sourced produce wherever possible. We use no artificial preservatives, colours or setting agents. Much of our fruit and vegetables are grown organically by us at our award winning gardens at Derryclough and in the walled vegetable garden of the family’s 18th century castle at Glenwilliam, Ballingarry. We also source fruit and vegetables from small local producers.

Theresa’s mother, Barbara, started making preserves in the late 1970s from the produce from the family vegetable garden and orchard using traditional methods she had learned from her mother. Whilst we all complained about the constant gardening and the markets every Saturday, they instilled in all of us a love of fine food. Theresa, who is a botanist and environmental scientist, took over the family business in the 1990’s and expanded it.

We also take advantage of the wild fruit available in the local hedgerows to create a variety of wild jellies. These include wild crab apple jelly, damson jelly, bramble jelly, hawthorn jelly, elderberry jelly and rosehip jelly.

Our preserves have won awards in many a local show and we are listed in the Bridgestone Best in Ireland Guide. The Green Apron has also won an award in the Limerick County Council Environment achievement awards 2008. We also won Best Wildlife Garden in the county in 2007.

The rest of The Green Apron team consists of Theresa’s husband Dr Mike Cosgrave (UCC) and their three children who all assist in the gardening, producing and selling.

Our preserves are available in Limerick Milk Market saturday mornings and in local shops in Limerick, and at the Ballingarry market on the 1st Tuesday of the month (10-12)

The Green Apron also runs courses and workshops on all aspects of kitchen gardening from producing to preserving, living willow building , beekeeping, chicken rearing etc.