The West Side (of the Estate) Story

Since I still have balance problems, I've not gone on any of the Segway tours with Roy to the other side of the acreage on the Biltmore Estate .  I enjoyed Roy's pictures and thought that was that.  Friday morning we both found out about the tour on the west side of the estate, me in the shuttle to the house and Roy rolling on the river.  There were openings for the tour at 3:30.  We have heard this guide that did the west side tour before on the legacy of the land tour.  He is well informed and quite interesting.  These are some of Roy's pictures from the tour.  Most of the vineyards, sheep and cattle are over there.  They are experimenting with producing canola oil to use as bio-diesel fuel and the fields and the huge storage tanks for that are over there as well.  

 

 

 

 

It is harvest time and they have been a little short handed, so they've teasingly have offered the tour groups a chance of hands on experience. 

 

This is the guard donkey for the sheep.  Donkey's make great protectors of sheep and chickens.  Their kicks can injure coyotes and foxes.  The donkey's braying sounds the alarm that there is trouble.  Hey, the donkey is kind of like Lassie.  It is so interesting to watch the interaction between the sheep and donkey.  Another donkey cannot be put in there with them because the donkeys together will ignore the sheep or chickens they are supposed to be watching over.

 

 

The sheep on the Biltmore Estate do not need to be sheared.  This is a cost productive move for sheep that are raised more for meat than for sweaters. 

 

 

From this vantage point on the other side you can get a nice view and photo op of the Biltmore House.  Love how Roy got the cow into the action.

 

 

 

Yes, another donkey sheep picture.

 

 

Very old barn from one of the original 8 farms on the land.  They are in the process of restoring the barn.

This home is from the 1800's and the wine master lives there.  They have updated it to the 21st century though. 

 

 

This view almost makes you think you are in Europe.

 

 

 

These geese have stopped migrating and now stay here year round.  These geese know a good thing when they see it. 

 

This is an apple picked on a nearby farm and grapes that Roy found on the ground in the vineyard.  He's no fool...if he picked from the vine, they would have forced him into grape harvesting labor.