Ted’s Favorite Places
Written By Judy Ross
Posted 08/12/13
Updated 08/12/13
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Ted Katsigianis has experienced a lot during his three decades at Biltmore. As Vice President of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, he directs a staff that works in traditional agriculture such as forage and field crops, and livestock including cattle, sheep, goats, and poultry. He also works with the Equestrian Center programs. As if that’s not a fulltime job, he’s also in charge of environmental initiatives and sustainability!
The Farmyard in Antler Hill Village is one of his favorite locations at ChickBiltmore because of his personal connection to the area.
“I was heavily involved with the restoration of the Antler Hill Village Barn project and creation of the Farmyard. It’s a pleasure to see guests young and old enjoy interacting with our animals. The children are especially thrilled,” he says. “I enjoy admiring the sheep and cattle in the production pastures, and watching the poultry and baby goats in the Farmyard.”
His other favorite view is found on the estate’s West Side, located across the French Broad River from Biltmore House. The rolling pastures give way to Long Valley Vineyard—one of Biltmore’s earliest vineyards—with Long Valley Lake in the distance. Ted was a member of the team that helped create Long Valley Vineyard, and he’s proud to be a part of estate history in that regard.
“We were breaking new ground for a specialty crop grown in Western North Carolina, and we didn’t have anything to go by,” he explains. “I was in charge of the vineyard for 17 years, and some of our best harvests occurred during this time.”
If you would like to experience the views from the vineyards, we recommend the new Vine to Wine Tour offered on Saturdays and Sundays now through fall. This exclusive guided tour incorporates tastings of our best Biltmore wines while taking you to the vineyards and behind-the-scenes Winery production and bottling locales, finishing with a premium grand tasting and gourmet nibbles. You must have a Biltmore admission ticket or Annual Pass to participate.
Call us at 800-543-2961 to make reservations.
