Dear Friends of Spirit Mountain
We have fantastic news! Last night, at the Public Hearing, Phase I of our Estancia Natura development at Spirit Mountain was officially APPROVED!
Our fearless representatives, Fernando Cantisano (Project Architect) and Franklin Peralta (Construction Foreman), led the charge, presenting our case and securing the all-important green light.
A Journey of Patience, Strategy, and Maybe a Few Grey Hairs
As many of you know, this milestone has been FOUR years in the making. We tackled what we thought was the bigger hurdle first—getting approval from the National Ministry of the Environment. That win came in August 2023, and we thought, “Great! The local permit should be a breeze.” Well… fast-forward 18 months (because, why not?) and here we are. If you’ve been following the ongoing saga, you already know the plot twists.
But last night, we finally got the green light. Estancia Natura at Spirit Mountain is officially a GO! 🚀🌿🏡
The Wait Is Over – Time to Build!
To all of you who have been patiently (or not so patiently) waiting to break ground on your personal retreat—thank you! If anyone understands patience, it’s the Wallace family. We stepped into the Spirit Mountain story in 2003, and we know that great things take time. Just like growing world-class coffee, this project has required grit, strategy, faith, and a whole lot of persistence.
But guess what? The time has come.
What’s Next?
I was in Jarabacoa earlier this month meeting with the powers that be, preparing for the Public Hearing, and making sure we were ready to roll. Now, it’s go-time. Next month, Krista and I will be back on the farm to officially break ground. We’ll be joined by our youngest daughter, Kathryn, who will be leading the first official Origin Trip hosted by Farm to Cup. Our oldest, Keren Aspen, is also planning to join us—and possibly competing in her first Enduro Race at Tri Mountain MTB Park! (What better way to celebrate than by racing down your home trails?)
March Madness: Spirit Mountain Edition
March is shaping up to be one for the books:
✅ Breaking ground on the A-Frame Collective
✅ Hosting the Dominican Enduro Series – Round 1
✅ Welcoming our first Farm to Cup Origin Trip
If you’re in the neighborhood the weekend of March 15, come join the party! Expect to see mountain bikers flying down the farm, testing their downhill skills, and hopefully staying on the trails (no guarantees).
Next Steps for Owners
For our A-Frame Collective members—keep an eye out for your next installment invoice. This will trigger the official start of construction. And trust us, with Fernando and I leading the charge and Franklin Peralta & Yeisson Ramirez making sure things get done right on-site, these A-Frames are going UP FAST.
If you have any questions, call, text, email, or WhatsApp me. Always happy to chat!
Exciting times ahead,
Chad Wallace
Chief Bean Counter
