Monday, May 23, 2011

Biltmore Estate: Antler Village and Winery (part 3)

The last part of our day was spent in "Antler Village." We decided not to take the tour of the Winery, since we were all tired of walking by that time. 
 We decided to browse the shops and sample a bit of Biltmore wine
It was a rather intense lecture on the flavors of wine on that list...
 Then we went to eat a delicious meal at one of the restaurants  
One more photo-op of the kids...then on to the final part of the tour.
 The last buildings that we visited were the farmyard and old stables. Part of George Vanderbilt's vision was that his property would be self-sustaining, so he proceeded to plant crops and vegetable gardens, and raise animals to provide food for his household. He was very successful and graciously shared the produce with neighbors and nearby hospitals. The ice cream that was made on the estate had a reputation for being the creamiest, most delicious ever made! Jim and I were just excited to read some of the ancient history, and also find old machinery (like this hay rake) and equipment that reminded us of our childhoods. (Now we are really showing our old age!)
Jim loved this old Oliver tractor! It was a long day, but so interesting and so enjoyable! Thanks M&G for such a fun treat!

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