Ever had a dream or a vision? Something you thought about often, but wasn’t sure it would ever come to pass? As a youngster I spent a lot of time exploring the woods, imaging I was in a magical world. If I’m honest with myself, and you, I have to admit, even as I passed into adulthood, I never stopped imaging magical worlds. Probably one reason I loved reading CS Lewis’ Narnia saga, Tolken’s Lord of the Rings trilogy or XXX’s seven Harry Potter books. When I first walked this piece of land Spring of in 2003, amazing visions swirled around in my head and my imagination began to run wild. Since that first day, I’ve not stopped dreaming about what this mountain paradise could become. I am thankful for a family that supports my crazy dreams, and for a partner that believed in me back when all I had were some fuzzy ideas.
As I reflect over the past 20+ years developing the farm, and the decade preceding the purchase of the property, living and working in the Dominican Republic, I have two emotions. First, the overwhelming sense of gratitude and secondly an excitement that feels reminiscent of Lucy’s as she led her siblings through the wardrobe and into the mythical world of Narnia. In many ways, each time I share Spirit Mountain with a guest, it’s like I’m providing a peak into our own mythical world. If you’ve not been to the farm recently, then it’s time to plan a visit. The landscape is changing, the story is unfolding, and the dream is becoming reality!
This month, we will be turning the page and writing a new chapter in our story! We received our long-awaited Environmental License from the National Ministry of the Environment here in the Dominican Republic. I never doubted whether we would receive it, but we all knew that the process would be arduous and costs significant and we passed each evaluation with flying colors. With this license in hand, we can proceed with the local municipal permitting process for construction. The goal is to break ground before the end of the year with the construction of the first A-Frames. We have three Founding partner groups that will be working with us on the construction of these proto types. If all goes remotely according to plan, we will be ready to start hosting guests at the Estancia Eco Lodge A Frame Club sometime next Spring! Krista and her hospitality team along with our newest hospitality partner, Sagra Farms, are gearing up for the big shift. We look forward to inviting you to walk through the wardrobe and experience this magical land we call Estancia Natura at Spirit Mountain.
If you interested in learning more about the farm, scheduling a visit, becoming a part of the Estancia Eco Lodge A Frame Club, or purchasing one of our exclusive private lots at the top of the farm, just reach out to myself or my daughter, Kathryn Lake. Our FAQ page is a gold mine of information, and you will find answers to questions you didn’t even know you had.
We have a lot happening on the farm this Fall. Kate and I spent time with our good friend and owner of La Campagna, our favorite bakery in the DR. Modesto and his team are transitioning their restaurant from an automated coffee beverage service to a specialty coffee service using Spirit Mountain. Kate and I guided their team through the entire process on the farm, from seed to cup, and then Kate spent the next week training their barista team in the capital. Kate had a ton of fun spending the week in Santo Domingo. I think the time there reminded her of the three years living in NYC, dancing and being a barista! She also loved seeing so many old friends and making some new ones. We hosted the Epic Enduro Race that same week. We have several of our roasting partners planning visits to the farm this Fall, which is always a highlight. We will be kicking things off when Sagra Farms visit the farm with their team in November. Camping a the farm continues to become ever more popular. Our 2022-2023 harvest ships out this month and we Krista and I are looking forward to our annual visits with roasting partners, as we personally deliver their coffee orders. 2023 is turning out to be the most exciting year we’ve had yet. Thanks for being a part of the story!
Un Fuerte Abrazo,
Chad
