With 14 varieties of apples ripening throughout the season at Masker Orchards, you're sure to find all of your family's favorites; and to help make sure of this, we've put together an approximate ripening schedule so you can plan to spend the day in our orchard during the peak season for your particular favorites. Use the quick menu below to view the peak season for your favorites:   choose apple type Macintosh Prime Reds Granny Smith Cortland Empire Jonagold McCowan Red Delicious Sparta Macintosh Ida Reds Mutsu Golden Delicious Smoothies Surprise Romes   First Week of September Prime Reds big, solid, ruby red; beautiful white flesh, tart with hint of sweetness, for eating and salads Macintosh hard ripe - great for pies, eating, applesauce and salads back to menu   Second Week of September Macintosh old sturdy apples, great for pies, eating, applesauce and salads back to menu   Third Week of September Granny Smith Fine eating, cooking - great pies Cortland tastes very much like the Macintosh, but slightly more tart; eating, applesauce and baking back to menu   Third to Fourth Week of September: Empire Cross between a Macintosh and Red Delicious, sweet tart flavor; for eating and salads Jonagold Most popular apple in Europe; cross between Golden Delicious and Jonathan, perfect for eating McCowan Fine apple has Macintosh as primary parent; for eating, baking, pies, salads, applesauce back to menu   Fourth Week of September Red Delicious Traditional favorite; for eating and salads back to menu   Fourth Week of September to First Week of October Sparta Macintosh a later, firmer, redder Macintosh; eating, baking pies, salads applesauce back to menu   Second Week of October Ida Reds Big, red and juicy - a fine cooking or dessert apple; for eating, applesauce, baking, pies back to menu   Ripening Mid October Romes Firm popular cooking apple; for eating and pies Mutsu (Crispin) Picked in September, it has the tart flavor of the Granny Smith; picked in October, it is sweet; for eating Golden Delicious Usually picked before they're ripe; for eating, baking, pies, salads, applesauce Smoothies A Golden Delicious type; for eating, baking, pies, salads, applesauce Surprise A Golden Delicious type; for eating, baking, pies, salads, applesauce back to menu     mailing list | dates & hours | driving directions | news & health | orchard history | ripening schedule | school trips group trips | special events | special offers | photos contest | country store | pickin' feedback | contact us