Photo (provided): Junior Division winner Rogue celebrates her triumph at Masker’s Orchard’s Apple Pie Eating Contest alongside her teammates, coach, surprise guest judge State Senator James Skoufis, and Masker’s very own “First Lady of Pies,” Evelyn Card.
Senator Skoufis brings his daughter to the pie-eating festivities as new champions emerge, local farmers celebrate resilience, and one final qualifying contest stands between competitors and a Florida vacation.
By Kat Leslie
WARWICK — The Albany lawmakers have arrived, Long Island is collecting victories, and somewhere in the Masker’s Orchard bakery, another batch of apple pies is about to meet a very undignified end.
With the November 7 Grand Finale rapidly approaching, last weekend’s apple pie-eating competition produced a fresh crop of winners, a surprise appearance by State Senator James Skoufis and another reason to believe this seemingly innocent orchard attraction has gotten wonderfully out of hand.
What began as a little friendly competition has become a serious pursuit of bragging rights, prizes and, ultimately, a weeklong Florida vacation.
And the clock is running out.
A Senator, Two Young Competitors and a Table Full of Pies
Last weekend’s surprise guest was State Senator James Skoufis, who represents Warwick in Albany and joined the festivities as a celebrity judge and host.
But the senator wasn’t traveling alone.
Accompanying him was his five-year-old daughter, Ava, and her friend Esmé, who joined the children’s pie-eating competition on Saturday.
And while the senator may be accustomed to legislative debates and committee hearings, Saturday’s assignment required an entirely different set of skills: cheering on two young competitors determined to make short work of their apple pies.
The scene provided a particularly memorable moment, with Skoufis leaning over the table to encourage his daughter as the young contestants concentrated on the considerably more urgent business in front of them.
His appearance followed an earlier visit by Assemblyman Karl Brabenec, giving Masker’s the distinction of attracting members of both chambers of the New York State Legislature to supervise the rapid consumption of apple pie.
For once, nobody was arguing about taxes, spending or legislative priorities.
The only question was how quickly a contestant could make a pie disappear.
And unlike Albany, where negotiations can stretch into the early morning hours, the proceedings at Masker’s were settled in minutes.
Behind the Laughter, a Difficult Year for Apple Growers
The festivities offered a welcome contrast to what has been an unusually challenging growing season for Hudson Valley orchards.
A damaging spring frost destroyed a significant portion of the region’s expected apple crop before the harvest season had even begun. Persistent rainy weather added another obstacle, discouraging outdoor visits during a time when farms depend heavily on seasonal customers.
For working orchards, the consequences extend well beyond having fewer apples available for picking. A reduced harvest can affect revenue, staffing, operating expenses and the financial resources needed to prepare for the following growing season.
As reported by Todd Bender of Mid-Hudson News, local growers have responded by finding creative ways to bring families to their farms and make the most of a difficult season.
At Masker’s, the pie-eating contest has become one of those innovations, turning a bakery favorite into a weekend attraction that brings together visitors, families and the surrounding community.
Both Skoufis and Brabenec have also been involved in efforts to secure agricultural disaster assistance for Orange County growers affected by the crop losses.
Orange County fruit farms were initially left out of the state’s disaster recovery program, prompting lawmakers to push for their inclusion.
In July, Governor Kathy Hochul announced that Orange County fruit growers would be eligible for the assistance, intended to help affected farms manage crop losses, operating expenses and agricultural debt.
“Farmers are the backbone of our community and need our help this year,” Brabenec told Mid-Hudson News. “I am glad to have pushed for farms in our area to be included in the relief program.”
For Skoufis, Saturday’s visit was an opportunity to highlight both the economic importance of local orchards and the experiences they provide for families.
“Our orchards are essential to Orange County’s agriculture and economy. Whether it’s visitors or local families like mine, orchards like Masker provide such memorable experiences and I’ll continue to do everything I can to support them,” the senator said.
It was a message delivered in particularly appropriate surroundings, with his daughter and her friend participating in one of the very activities that have helped make the orchard a family destination.
Masker’s farmer Dan Olsen acknowledged the difficulties of the season while emphasizing the orchard’s determination to adapt.
“Masker’s has been around for more than 100 years, and while this year has been a challenge, we are focused on ways to make the most of a tough season,” Olsen told reporters. “That has meant we have pivoted to other offerings and attractions, and we are thankful that our guests have been understanding.”
After more than a century of growing apples on Warwick Mountain, the orchard is demonstrating that a difficult harvest does not have to mean the end of a memorable fall season.
And judging by the weekend’s turnout, visitors seem more than willing to help — particularly when apple pie is involved.
Long Island Makes Its Move
Saturday’s adult winner was Rockie of Merrick, New York, who captured the competition and secured a place among the season’s qualifying champions.
On Sunday, Mersedes Davidson of Queens added another victory to the weekend’s results, earning her own opportunity to compete in the November 7 championship.
The Junior Division delivered perhaps the most enthusiastic cheering section of the weekend.
Rogue of Long Island took the junior title with teammates and a coach loudly supporting her from the sidelines. The victory earned Rogue a full-size Masker’s apple pie and the kind of bragging rights that should make for an interesting conversation at the next team practice.
The junior competition has become an attraction of its own, with young contestants demonstrating that determination, competitive spirit and a fondness for dessert are not necessarily acquired with age.
As for the adults, Rockie and Mersedes join a field of previous weekly winners whose names have appeared in earlier editions of the Warwick Valley Dispatch.
They will soon discover whether winning on an ordinary weekend is quite the same as competing against a table full of people who have already done it.
Grandma Ev Has Another Reason to Celebrate
Meanwhile, Masker’s unofficial First Lady of Pies, Evelyn Card, had an important engagement of her own.
The 99-year-old Warwick favorite was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by Warwick Valley Rotary, adding another distinction to a remarkable year that also included recognition as Orange County Citizen of the Month. Senator Skoufis congratulated Warwick’s beloved Grandma Ev on receiving the County and Rotary’s Awards, honoring her decades of community service.
Grandma Ev, who continues working as post-production manager of the Warwick Valley Dispatch, has become a familiar presence at Masker’s weekend competitions.
Her latest honor was a reminder that while contestants have been racing to finish their pies in record time, Evelyn has been setting a considerably more impressive record of her own: nearly a century of life, service and involvement in the Warwick community.
At 99, she has earned the right to offer advice on just about anything.
Including, presumably, the proper way to eat an apple pie.
One More Chance. Then It’s Winner Against Winner.
This coming weekend marks the final qualifying opportunity before the November 7 championship.
There is just one remaining contest session, and the stakes have changed considerably since the first pies hit the table earlier this season.
Weekly adult winners have been collecting an impressive prize package: a $100 Masker’s gift card, a Champion T-shirt, an award-winning Masker’s apple pie, a dozen fresh apple cider doughnuts, a gallon of apple cider and a complimentary one-year subscription to the Warwick Valley Dispatch.
But those prizes are now merely the opening act.
On Saturday, November 7, the qualifying winners will return to Warwick Mountain for the inaugural Grand Finale, where the season’s ultimate champion will receive seven nights of accommodations in a three-bedroom villa at Westgate Lakes Resort & Spa in Orlando, Florida.
The lakefront resort features swimming pools, recreational amenities and convenient access to Walt Disney World and Orlando’s other major attractions.
The prize is a considerable upgrade from the traditional championship trophy.
Instead of placing something on a mantelpiece, the winner can pack a suitcase.
And unlike most Florida vacations, this one begins with an apple pie in Warwick.
The Grand Finale remains scheduled for Saturday, November 7, with Sunday, November 8, reserved as the rain date should Mother Nature decide to have the final say. After this season’s weather challenges, Masker’s is leaving nothing to chance — especially with a Florida vacation on the line.
The Final Countdown
For anyone still considering entering, this weekend is the last opportunity to join the championship field.
There will be no more qualifying rounds after that. No additional weekends to reconsider. No second chance to discover that perhaps you should have skipped breakfast.
The November 7 competition will bring the season’s winners back together for one final contest, with a Florida resort vacation awaiting the champion.
The remaining weekend also offers visitors a chance to enjoy Masker’s Orchard as the harvest season draws to a close, from the mountain views and drive-to-the-tree orchard experience to the Country Store, fresh cider doughnuts and the bakery’s award-winning apple pies.
The contest has also demonstrated something important about a working farm: even when Mother Nature refuses to cooperate, there are still ways to welcome visitors, support the community and celebrate the harvest.
And judging by the competitors traveling from Long Island, Queens and beyond, the attraction is reaching well outside the Warwick Valley.
Contest registration and details are available by emailing maskersapples@gmail.com or asking at the orchard. Space in the final qualifying session is limited.
For the returning champions, however, registration is no longer the issue.
They have already earned their seats at the table.
Now they must defend them.
One final qualifying contest. One Grand Finale on November 7. One week in Orlando.
And in two weeks time Masker’s apple pie, voted last year “Best in Hudson Valley”, is about to become the most valuable dessert in Warwick.
