As travelers are beginning to adapt to the ‘new normal’ during and after the COVID pandemic, they are imagining what their next getaway will look like and seeking destinations to immerse themselves in nature. Considering their own health and the health of our environment, they are still seeking a luxurious experience but with an emphasis on a spiritual-ethical-ecological approach to travel.
Located in the secluded Pacific Redwood Forest outside of downtown Healdsburg in Sonoma County is a luxurious biodynamic retreat offering a haven destination for travelers seeking respite. Focusing on wellness, sustainability, and nature, NewTree Ranch is a vegan retreat situated on 120 acres of untouched land offering wellness-centric, immersive experiences for guests seeking to rejuvenate their minds and reconnect with nature.
“As a mecca for the mind, body, and spirit, NewTree Ranch invites guests to relax and discover their inner curiosity through an array of spiritual and outdoor excursions, such as hiking, paddle boarding, farm animal interactions, tea making, yoga classes, and plant-based cooking classes,” says Ed Newell, founder, and CEO of NewTree Ranch. “We are providing the eco-conscious traveler a sustainable oasis where adventure and wellness intersect.”
Its location in the secluded Pacific Redwood Forest provides one of Northern California’s only multi-sensory eco-destinations, offering one-of-a-kind discovery and adventure immersed in a naturally beautiful, culturally rich environment. Centered around sustainability, NewTree Ranch is operated by its own power sources and utilizes a closed-loop food system, offering plant-based food sourced from their on-site biodynamic garden. They are also proud to be 100% absent of any chemicals and consistently tests their soil and water to guarantee the nonexistence of pesticides and chemicals.
NewTree Ranch takes a nod from the environment with its cyclical approach. It recycles nutrients and organic matter back into the soil they originally grew in, which preserves the nutrient and carbon levels within its soil and allows farming to be carried out on a sustainable basis. Through a host of exceptional adventures – from learning about the ranch animals’ role in supporting the vital ecosystem to learning about biodynamic farming and more – NewTree Ranch educates and inspires guests to live a more sustainable life themselves.
“I believe our connection with nature is not a choice, but a necessity and I encourage everyone to find theirs,” says Newell. “NewTree Ranch provides visitors with the opportunity to rethink the way they integrate with the environment and how we can nurture and heal ourselves with the environment.”
Allowing guests to re-connect with nature, the property has two separate horse pastures, a private lake, a beautiful biodynamic garden, and an outdoor farm kitchen. The unparalleled destination allows guests to relax, rejuvenate and discover their inner curiosity through an array of healing and outdoor adventure offerings. Its unique setting allows visitors to veer away from overly crowded resorts and reconnect, breaking the hustle and bustle of their fast-paced lives with the tranquility of mother nature. NewTree Ranch separates guests from the outside world. It allows them to mindfully connect with the outdoors and live synonymously with nature as they learn how to flourish off the land and practice conscious and sustainable living.
Discerning travelers’ step into an alternate world upon entering The Ranch Estate, proving that sustainability and wellness do not have to compromise a luxurious experience. Adorned with contemporary ranch-style décor interspersed with unique artwork from in-house photographers and artists, the warm, earth-tone hues and rich wood accents provide a welcoming and tranquil environment. The Ranch Estate features a fully stocked professional kitchen and a wraparound terrace with stunning views of the encompassing redwoods in the main living area.
The Ranch boasts four luxury suites sleeping eight guests more than comfortably, with a large cozy fireplace, a chef’s kitchen, and a relaxing pool with picturesque views of the Healdsburg Hills. They also offer a glamping experience for guests staying at the Ranch House wishing to enjoy a peaceful night under the stars and embrace the outdoors in a luxury canvas tent. Equipped with an outdoor soaking tub, wood-burning stove, and lounge chairs, the tents sleep two comfortably. Guests can also greet the cows and horses that often come for a visit and sip on hot, herbal teas brewing on the wood-burning stove. The silence and stillness here offer a unique opportunity to comfortably immerse yourself in nature with the plants and animals of the ranch.
“Everywhere you turn, the land is happy, the fields are thriving, and the vegetables are bursting with flavor. I sit in peace at the farm often, and I notice the bugs and the birds are singing louder and louder every day,” says Newell. “What we are offering is a very authentic experience, developed over many years, with the discerning traveler in mind. Our mission at NewTree Ranch is to provide a tranquil, toxin-free environment that is a mecca for the mind, body, and spirit, inspiring creativity, mindfulness, and positive change in the world.”
Chef Matteo Silverman is NewTree Ranch’s on-call plant-based-trained celebrity chef whose passion for creating unique, plant-based food focuses on farm-to-table concepts featuring fresh, seasonal ingredients are local, organic, and sustainably grown. Focusing on flavors from diverse cultures around the world, his palette-pleasing cuisine is 100% made from scratch, avoiding any processed and packaged food. Utilizing nutrient-dense produce sourced from NewTree Ranch’s on-site biodynamic garden, Silverman uses these fresh ingredients to craft beautiful and delectable dishes that appease all.
Guests can take a hands-on, plant-based cooking class with Chef Silverman as well as enjoying a plant-based, farm-to-table lunch or dinner at NewTree Ranch’s outdoor farm kitchen prepared by Chef Silverman. A truly unique culinary experience, the seed-to-table meal offers guests a multi-course dinner prepared by Chef Matteo Silverman amidst the beauty of the biodynamic garden. Each course highlights vegetables that are in season and at the peak of freshness.
“Having been a vegan chef for over 25 years, I love getting to share this passion with guests at NewTree Ranch,” said Chef Matteo. “By utilizing the on-site produce and minimally processed ingredients, I show guests that eating plant-based can be tasty and delicious without feeling like you’re giving anything up.”
Their talented on-site team provides access to a wide variety of programming centered on their founding belief that ‘living off the land is an experience of a lifetime and can inspire a spiritual, ethical and ecological approach to living.’ From biodynamic farming, flower picking and arranging, nature hikes, swimming, paddle boarding, and kayaking at Lake Andreas, tea making, fruit and vegetable harvesting, alternative wellness, and eco-focused guest experiences are aplenty. Additionally, guests can book once-in-a-lifetime transformative explorations, such as The Wim Hof Experience, or a selection of exclusively curated itineraries, from rejuvenating private yoga and meditation sessions to wine tasting outings in the ranch’s Tesla Model X and more.
New Tree Ranch is located at 3600 Wallace Creek Road and accepts reservations for long and short-term retreats.
