As far as specialty produce items are concerned, Vidalia onions are about as special as it gets. But pull them from the ground a couple of months early and the item climbs the specialty scale even more. Retailers and consumers alike attest to this by buying up every Baby Vidalia that becomes available to them.

Delbert Bland, president of Bland Farms in Vidalia, GA, a grower of the prized onion named after its growing region, said that many growers do not like to pull the golf-ball sized immature onions from the ground.

"It changes the ultimate crop quality to pull a lot of onions early," said Mr. Bland. "Damage can be done to the tops and vines of neighboring onions, which can cause cellular structures to break down. Despite that, limited supplies have gone to market for at least 15 years that I'm aware. Baby Vidalias are also more fragile than mature onions because they don't have the hardened outer shell to protect them, and so they must be consumed faster than when in the mature and cured version."

Mr. Bland said that to his knowledge, less than 1 percent of the total Vidalia crop is sold as Baby Vidalias, which is one reason they sell for a premium.

"We sell every box that we can put our hands on," said Ken Bower, a buyer at Baldor Specialty Foods in the Bronx, NY. "Although we have been handling them for several years, the item has never become more popular than it is now because growers have not dedicated a lot of acreage to it. If supplies were stronger and packaging was dedicated specifically to the item, with 12 bunches packed in the right size box that can be properly palletized to help keep freight costs down, I think it would get really big. The golf-ball size is perfect for serving whole or for when a small Vidalia onion is needed for a recipe."

Mr. Bower said that the item begins losing its appeal as it grows larger. So supplies are therefore available only from December through the first of April, and that window can be even smaller depending on the weather. Supplies that do become available sell instantly to stores like New York City's Agata & Valentina, Dean & DeLuca and high-end mainstream grocers like Whole Foods. For consumers who can find them and do not mind paying about $1.99 for a bunch of several onions, they are delicious grilled, saut?ed or sliced in salads.

Tina Cowart of Cowart Farms in Lyons, GA, a grower of Vidalias for over 30 years, has a customer base for Baby Vidalias that has grown over the years.

"Some mainstream grocers carry them, but most go to specialty markets," said Ms. Cowart. "We designate specific acreage to them so we don't damage those that are growing to maturity, but it's only a small portion of our operation. We have about 600 acres of Vidalias, and only 25 are pulled early. One nice thing about Baby Vidalias is that they are sold with the tops on, which are also edible."

Cowart Farms even has a web site dedicated specifically to the item, babyvidalias.com, where customers can order them directly. It also warns visitors that Baby Vidalias are a true specialty item with a short season, so supplies are limited.

"I've not heard of any widespread plans to go more mainstream with Baby Vidalias," said Wendy Brannen, executive director of the Vidalia Onion Committee. "I think most growers are tied up with the regular Vidalia crops. It's a grower decision, but as VOC representatives, we are interested in helping growers in any direction they choose to go in, and we support them in their goals to promote and market this great product in any form."

"We believe the item can become a mainstream commodity," said Mr. Bower. "If we have grower commitment, we will buy everything they can supply. It is also primed as a popular item for high-end foodservice operations. But even for them, the price has to be right. Packing the product to bring freight cost in line will make them more desirable to retailers as well as restaurants."

Mr. Bland said that the Baby Vidalia onions are as sweet as mature Vidalia onions, and, as he likes to say, "They only make you cry when they're gone."