The Madrones showcases the vision, talents and dedication of its congenial and multi-talented owner, James Roberts. An accomplished artist and professional designer, Roberts swapped the corporate world for this more serene and fulfilling lifestyle, a sentiment echoed by many Anderson Valley residents. With equal enthusiasm, he touts his 30-foot-high compost pile and the windows he salvaged from an old warehouse. He hosts classes on his current passions: food preservation, canning, olive oil production, wine sensory evaluation, cheese-making, birding, mushroom foraging, gardening, natural pest management and farm-to-table cooking.