Living well, living responsibly: The NewTree Ranch experience
By Kristen Oliveri
In Healdsburg, California, NewTree Ranch offers more than a getaway. This self-sustaining, private estate with two luxury villas invites visitors to slow down and rediscover what happens when we reconnect with the land, ourselves, and each other. A stay at NewTree is intentionally personal and deeply restorative. Guests can design their days around custom-tailored experiences, everything from sound baths and culinary pizza parties to exploring the stables that anchor the ranch’s animal sanctuary.
The Intersection of luxury and sustainability
Edward Newell, founder of NewTree Ranch, sees no divide between indulgence and responsibility. “At NewTree Ranch, I see sustainable luxury as creating something beautiful and memorable for our guests while also nurturing the land that makes it all possible. We’re always looking at how we can do things that not only elevate the experience but also give back to the place that hosts us,” says Newell.
The estate operates on 90% solar power, grows more than 200 varieties of organic fruits and vegetables in its biodynamic garden, and has more than 30 sustainability practices in place — from bee repopulation and soil enrichment to redwood reforestation. Guests are invited to take part in this regenerative way of living, sometimes in the simplest ways: picking vegetables for dinner, walking forest trails, or breathing in the vibrancy of toxin-free air.
“When guests arrive, they can feel it,” Newell reflects. “The energy of the gardens, the vibrancy of the soil, and the way everything tastes just a little more alive because it’s grown right here with care. Guests often tell me their kids and their dogs seem lighter, happier, sometimes the happiest they’ve ever seen them. That joy comes from being surrounded by a place that’s truly alive.”
Designing experiences with intention
Every stay is crafted around what guests need most, whether that’s stillness or adventure. “My goal with every stay is to create something that feels personal, like it could only happen here and only for them. I take time to understand what brings each guest joy and how they want to feel while they’re here. That guides everything,” he explains.
For some, the most memorable moments are quiet: sitting by the pool, walking through the forest, or paddling slowly across the lake. For others, it’s the shared indulgence of a private farm-to-table dinner with vegetables they harvested earlier in the day.
“I see indulgence and connection as going hand in hand,” Newell says. “It’s not about filling their days with activities. It’s about finding the right rhythm of rest, inspiration, and moments of awe they’ll carry long after they leave.”
A living system of care
NewTree’s magic lies in the way every detail, from a cleared path to the way a table is set, it carries a sense of care. “Guests will tell me they noticed something as simple as how a space was prepared, and that it made them feel seen. Those quiet details are everywhere, and they create a feeling of care that runs through the whole experience,” Newell says.
But it’s not just hospitality; it’s stewardship. He describes the practices of forest management, rewilding, solar energy, and biodynamic farming as a single living system that creates the abundance guests experience.
“It’s hard to choose just one practice because it’s really all of them together that create the energy of this place,” he explains. “The gardens are bursting with flowers and food, and the whole place feels alive. None of that would be happening in the same way without these practices working together.”
The future of NewTree Ranch is rooted in expansion, but not in the traditional sense. “I want to expand what we’re doing here, not by getting bigger, but by stewarding more land, bringing it back to life, and sharing it with more people,” says Newell. “Everything we do happens with the people who come. It’s a team, it’s a family. My hope is that as we care for more land, we keep inspiring people to care for it with us and that they carry that spirit with them when they leave.”