Her mother, Lisa K. Buchanan, says her daughter had a funny look on her face after the inaugural bite.

"When you think about it, it's the true original temptation," says Bridgette's father Neal P. Buchanan, explaining his original marketing concept. "You know, like Adam and Eve."

The Buchanan's children enjoy the yearly romp and the search for the perfect apple-bearing tree.

"They also like to make the things afterward," Lisa Buchanan says, adding that apple pie will follow the picking expedition.

Though there will be goodies at Red Apple Farm until Christmas, 1998 was a tough year for the apple crop.

"The biggest problem this year was rain during apple blossom time," Rose says. "The bees couldn't work."

Despite the rain, which was followed by a draught in July, the apples that survived are colorful and crispy, which Rose attributes to the farm's soil and 1,250-foot elevation.

Rose knows he cannot rely on a bumper crop to keep the farm in business.

"The farm is just very difficult, economically, to make it," Rose says. "We don't make much of a profit, but we pay the bills."

Horn of Plenty

To make up for the poor season, Rose markets the farm's other activities.

"I'm always looking for attractions," Rose says, pointing to a distant field where several barrels rest on legs among wooden posts.

Two years ago, several artists from Boston asked Rose if they could have his scrap metal. He gladly turned it over and suggested that they display some sculptures on his walking trail, which formerly led to a beaver dam.

He put the sculptures on the forest trail so people could find them easily, but said not many visitors show much interest. He hopes the curiosity makes them leave a little happier.

"When you look at it you don't know what it is, but you imagine, you invent what it is. People kind of wonder," Rose says.