A pause at the market

After a flood of early apples, things have slowed down.

Last week there were only three varieties for sale at Arlington's farmers market, none new (though the ever-so-sweet Honeycrisps made their debut the week before).

Does the end of the early-apple season mean fewer choices? Fall, the traditional apple season, brings many known favorites. Does an apple farmer dare to dabble in little-known fruit when the market wants McIntoshes and Macouns?

Some do. Earlier today I paid a visit to Volante Farms, which had more than a dozen varieties for sale, including a few heirlooms. Volante (in Needham Heights) is an apple lover's idea of a farm stand, with each bin of apples helpfully documented.

I hope that some of these varieties make it to farmers market this year. As much as I esteem those justly popular Macs, and really love Macouns, variety is the spice in the applesauce of life. We do see Baldwins and Roxbury Russets every year, but of course not until October.