Orchard Ripening Schedule
WE HAVE APPLES ON OUR TREES
Ripe for Picking: McIntosh, McGowan, Cortland, Jonagold, Empire, Red Delicious, Sparta McIntosh, Golden Delicious, Romes, & Ida Red
Open 7 days per week, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. until early November
Rain or Shine
Orchard Ripening Schedule
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.
Schedule subject to change by Mother Nature; check back as we will update regularly with changes.
| 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 |
| First – Second Week of September | |
| Macintosh | old sturdy apples, great for pies, eating, applesauce and salads |
| Second – 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 |
| Second – Third 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 |
| Third – Fourth Week of September | |
| Red Delicious | Traditional favorite; for eating and salads |
| Third – Fourth Week of September | |
| Sparta Macintosh | a later, firmer, redder Macintosh; eating, baking pies, salads applesauce |
| First – Second Week of October | |
| Ida Reds | Big, red and juicy – a fine cooking or dessert apple; for eating, applesauce, baking, pies |
| Ripening Early – 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 |