Savannah's Meadow in Celeste features two treehouses and a shabby chic trailer. Photos courtesy of Savannah's Meadow.

May 16, 2017

Looking for an eco-friendly weekend getaway in North Texas? Savannah’s Meadow in Celeste offers an opportunity to sleep in the treetops surrounded by wooded acreage. Soon the treehouses will be solar powered. 

Savannah's MeadowHusband and wife Susan Van Volkenburgh, an author, and Ron Van Volkenburgh, a software engineer, opened the green bed and breakfast last April. The destination, located about an hour northeast of Dallas, offers eco-friendly accommodations complete with a lavender and herb farm as part of the experience.

Susan and Ron Van Volkenburgh opened Savannah's Meadow in April 2016.

“Our 18 acres is probably the only heavily wooded farm in the area, offering home and refuge to all manner of wildlife, as well as our goal of providing a destination for visitors with the lowest possible footprint,” Ron Van Volkenburgh said. 

Van Volkenburgh says they bought the property while on a journey to find something unique for their grandchildren to identify as Grandma and Grandpa’s.

Savannah's Meadow“So we went searching,” he begins. “We had been living north of Fort Worth since moving to Texas so very many years ago, but wanted land to spread out on. The only requirement was that it had to have trees. That’s hard to find in this part of Texas, but we eventually found Savannah’s Meadow with two treehouses. After visiting, we decided this was our next move and celebrated our year anniversary last month.”

The Majestic Oak Treehouse stands two or three stories up from the ground.​

The 18-acre farm features three lodging options, including two treehouses and a shabby-chic trailer.  

“While the treehouses are a big draw, we are also an outdoor wedding destination, complete with wedding pavilion, chapel and private meadow, as well as a sizable events field complete with stage, eating area and plenty of room for guests and vendors,” Van Volkenburgh explains. 

Savannah's MeadowOverall, the couple promotes a destination where guests can disconnect from the hectic pace of life and reconnect with the things most important.  

Bare Creek Hollow Treehouse is located over a creek.

“Our tag line ‘Find Yourself in the Trees,’ actually has a double meaning. We know that immersing our guests in our trees and all that nature has to offer, is a wonderfully free wellness technique,” he adds.

Savannah’s Meadow has additional eco-friendly components too. Van Volkenburgh admits they still use some gas-powered tools on the farm but adds “we’re slowly changing that.”

They have replaced tools like the chainsaw, walk-behind mower, trimmer and hedge-trimmer with rechargeable battery operated units from Ego from Home Depot. Much of the lighting used on the property is solar-powered.  

Savannah's MeadowAnd now they are about to go completely solar. 

“We’ve green-lighted a new project that will see a solar array installation of 60 double-sided panels, in order to provide power to everything the farm consumes.”

A duck pond offers canoeing.

Van Volkenburgh says this is a huge project for the farm and they will be building an above-the-ground, quarter-turn structure around the fire-pit in the event field.

“We’ll be producing more than 2,800 kWh per month, powering our treehouses, farm house, Silo gift shop, lavender drying shed, garage and workshop,” he says.

While both treehouses have full kitchens and the "Gypsy Grotto" trailer has a half-kitchen with no stove or oven, guests will find eateries and shopping nearby too. The property is only 15 minutes from Greenville and Farmersville. 

Savannah's MeadowVan Volkenburgh says however, that guests often don’t want to leave and prefer to prepare a meal in the kitchen in the trees.  

The Gypsy's Grotto features an outdoor bathtub.

“Probably the most eco-friendly activity we advocate of all our guests is to just park your car and only use it when you are ready to leave,” Van Volkenburgh says. “Otherwise, walk the farm while discovering all the treasures we’ve made available, or use the bikes we’ve placed at the entrance of each venue.”

Guests are provided with a map showing 23 points of interest on the farm. Highlights include hiking, a catch-and-release pond, canoeing and biking. Guests also enjoy getting to know Simon and Henry, the resident donkey and goat, Sam the dog, along with kitties, ducks and geese.

Savannah’s Meadow is open April 1 to Oct. 31. The Majestic Oak Treehouse ranges from $165-$185/night; Bare Creek Hollow Treehouse is $200-$235/night and Gypsy’s Grotto is $85-$100, with prices lower for weekday stays.


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