TED AND LADDIE HALL
Ted and Laddie’s story began in the late 1960s. After high school, Ted set out for Princeton University. Two years later, Laddie was accepted to the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Introduced by family in La Porte, Texas because of their similar plans to head east, Ted and Laddie shared a college dance and a courtship followed. The two married in 1971. After a short time in the military, the couple moved to Northern California so Ted could attend business school at Stanford University. Not surprisingly, the move to California ignited a love of winemaking in Ted and he soon dreamed of owning his own vineyard.
Ted and Laddie live on our Mayacamas Estate property. You can find Laddie at the farmer’s market every week and Ted on stage playing the melodic sounds of jazz greats on his trombone.
Learn more about Ted in his memoir Tell the Truth and Do the Right Thing.
CHRIS HALL
At age 12, Chris Hall planted his first organic vegetable garden on Long Meadow Ranch with his younger brother Timmy. The two spent every weekend tirelessly caring for their vegetables and preparing for harvest. After countless trips to the grocery store with Laddie, the two decided on pricing and bundling their bounty to be sold at a booth at the St Helena Farmer’s Market. They were a hit! This small vegetable garden would eventually propel Chris to build the vertically integrated agricultural business that Long Meadow Ranch is today and inspire him to pursue “excellence through responsible farming.”
After studying geology and fire science at the University of Colorado, Chris returned to Napa Valley to drive the development of Long Meadow Ranch’s diversified farming activities and food and wine destination, Farmstead.
Chris lives in St Helena with his wife Tara and sons.
TIMOTHY HALL
Like his older brother, Timmy was committed to the family’s organic vegetable garden. His affinity for vegetables along with his signature cowboy hat and giant smile charmed shoppers each week at the farmer’s market. The resident explorer, Timmy uncovered many of the artifacts that tell Long Meadow Ranch’s story. An animal lover, he was an accomplished horseback rider and a member of the Rutherford 4-H. He was also a pianist and loved to play soccer, basketball and baseball.
Timmy died suddenly from a brain aneurysm on September 29, 1996 at the age of thirteen. Always present in our hearts, he remains a central part of our life at Long Meadow Ranch. We created the TIMOTHY HALL FOUNDATION to honor him and celebrate his love of agriculture and music. The foundation is dedicated to creating innovative, cost effective K-12 school curriculum in the fields of arts and sciences.
STEPHEN BARBER
Award-winning chef Stephen Barber leans on his Southern roots in his ingredient-driven approach to our restaurant at Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch. Barber brings over 20 years of experience from all over the US, including John Currence’s City Grocery, Norman Van Aken’s Norman’s in Miami and the former MECCA in San Francisco. In 2007, Stephen opened Barbers Q in Napa to critical acclaim. He lives in Napa with his wife and son.
MICHAEL MARKOFF
The second youngest of seven, executive sous chef Michael Markoff was born in Vienna and raised throughout Europe where he was exposed to a wide variety of cuisines that expanded his palate and fueled his passion for cooking. In 2004, Michael decided to pursue a career in culinary arts. After four years as a sous chef under former California Culinary Academy (Le Cordon Bleu) instructor and executive chef Dwayne Scott, Michael joined the opening restaurant team at Farmstead and has been moving up the ranks ever since. He lives in Napa with his wife, children, and two cats, Bronn and Jasper.
JOSEPH HARDIN
Joseph Hardin’s family has been farming their ranch in Pope Valley since 1852. As a 5th generation rancher focused on vineyard management in Napa Valley for the last decade, Hardin was drawn to the diversified farming practices at Long Meadow Ranch that parallel his upbringing. As Director of Agricultural Operations, Hardin oversees all the farming operations for the vineyards, olive groves, cattle, and horses at our five properties. In addition, Hardin also manages our agricultural land trust and conservation efforts.
JESS ARNSTEEN
For the past 13 years, Jess Arnsteen has developed and directed some of the most spectacular diversified organic farms in the Colorado front range and California wine country, including farms featured on PBS and Modern Farmer. Now managing the eight acre Culinary Farm at Long Meadow Ranch, Jess collaborates with Farmstead’s chefs to curate the season’s best tasting organic eggs, fruits and vegetables from soil to plate.