Closer Than You Think: Apple picking at Masker Orchards

NEW YORK (FOX 5 NEWS) - October is apple-picking season. It's a great way to spend the day outside with your family. But you don't have to drive all the way upstate to find a great orchard. Masker Orchards in Warwick, New York, is closer than you think.

For more than 100 years, Masker Orchards has been producing 14 varieties of apples on 260 acres of farmland.

The story of this orchard began in 1913 when Ora Masker decided the farmland in Orange County was perfect for apple trees. When Masker passed away in 1969, George Vurno and his friend jack bought the place and turned it into a pick-it-yourself orchard.

Vurno, or "Apple George" as he is called, took me to the top of the orchard to a sweet spot where you can see the borders of New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

With more than 2,000 apple trees, everyone has a favorite. No visit to Makser would be complete without a stop at the country store.

This orchard is great for adults and kids. So make a trip to Masker Orchards part of your family tradition.

It is closer than you think.