Bless Reed Valley Orchard! Dana Reed, orchardist extraordinaire, and Trudie Reed, front-of-the-business manager and marvelous human — these are people even more wonderful than their fantastic apples. I always cheer up substantially when the Reeds’ season at the Lexington Farmers Market begins.

That season is now well underway. I got an early start this year. Trudie Reed suggested Earli-Gold as the best early saucing apple, and that’s what you see here. With my trusty Foley Food Mill, I have made and frozen about half our winter’s supply of applesauce. Having homemade applesauce from Reed Valley Orchard in my new freezer almost makes me look forward to winter.