OUR BLOG

you’ve hiked our ridge lately, you’ve probably noticed two things: the views keep sneaking up on you, and our roads crews drink an impressive amount of coffee. Both are good signs. And here’s an even better one: the entire Wallace family will be on the farm for...

Dear Friends and Family, Krista and I want to begin by saying thank you — truly — for joining us on this remarkable journey of building community at Spirit Mountain. Whether you’ve been with us since the early days (back when Manabao didn’t even have...

In many U.S. real estate markets today, high entry prices, rising borrowing costs, andcompressed cap rates make new investments difficult to justify. In contrast, the DominicanRepublic (DR) offers a compelling counterpoint: a stable investment climate, strong...

As Estancia Natura at Spirit Mountain moves from dream to dirt, from concept to reality, I’ve realized just how challenging—sometimes downright impossible—it can be to explain something that is layered with history, depth, and complexity. Some of you “get us.” You’ve...

There are more than a couple of ways to judge a book….by its cover, by a quick skim of the content…some people only read the first and last chapters then review the table of contents.  You can actually sit down and read a book as it was intentionally deigned to...

Some people dream of white picket fences and HOA meetings.We dream of mountain mist, papagayos, tree frogs, and Grant making a surprisingly terrible pun before handing you the best cup of coffee you’ve ever had. That’s just the kind of place Estancia Natura is...

Breaking Ground: From Crazy Idea to Actual Dirt Moving Well friends — after years of drawings, dreaming, and no small amount of caffeine-fueled debate, construction is officially underway on the first cluster of A-Frames at Estancia Natura. It's actually happening....

As we stand on the edge of yet another chapter in the winding saga of Spirit Mountain, I’ve been doing what all great visionaries do: sitting with a cup of strong Dominican coffee, avoiding email, and pondering why exactly we keep saying yes to the beautifully...

Dear Friends of Spirit Mountain and Estancia Natura, March at Spirit Mountain could best be described as a beautiful, chaotic symphony of coffee harvests, trail-building heroics, and high-flying mountain bike madness. As is his sacred tradition, our dear friend,...

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...

Join us for the adventure of a lifetime at Spirit Mountain Coffee Farm in the Dominican Republic. If you’ve ever sipped a cup of coffee and thought, “I’d like to know where this came from,” we’re here to give you more than just a story. We’ll hand you a machete (don’t...

Bigger isn’t always better. Yes, I know that saying is almost as tired as avocado toast and inspirational quotes on Instagram, but hang with me for a minute. We’re diving into why we believe a more intimate, thoughtful approach to hospitality might just be the...

As 2024 moseys off into the sunset and we prepare to welcome 2025 with open arms and fresh coffee, it’s time to reflect on a year full of progress, adventures, and just the right amount of chaos. Let’s dive in, shall we? Let’s start with the heart of it...

Ah, Thanksgiving. That sweet American holiday where turkeys take center stage, carbs reign supreme, and pumpkin pie is consumed in amounts bordering on scandalous. For those of us in the Wallace household, Thanksgiving has always been more than just food—it’s about...

When we bought Spirit Mountain back in 2003, I had no idea what I was getting into. Coffee? I was hardly a coffee drinker. Sure, I'd sip it when someone offered, but let's just say my expertise was more in sipping than cultivating. Lucky for me, though, Angostura de...