In 2007, after nearly 20 years of burnout and boardrooms, we knew we needed out of the Matrix. The stress, the screens, the daily disconnection—it was breaking us. So in 2008, we walked away from it all and took a leap of faith to Puerto Rico. By 2009, we were on our land—15 wild, hilly acres that would become Mayani Farms.

The farm was overrun with 8,000 coffee trees. We tore them out and started over—one book, one seed, one goat at a time. We learned the land. We listened to it. We built a life rooted in real food, real labor, and real connection.

We named the farm after one of our goats. Mayani lived to the age of 12 and she joined her sister, Amani, last year. After 15 years on Mayani Farms, we still wake up grateful to do this work and live this life. We now help others—newcomers to Puerto Rico and the tropics—do the same. Whether it’s transforming land, planting orchards, integrating animals, or learning what thrives here, we consult, teach, and grow seedlings for those ready to live differently.

Mayani Farms is more than a farm. It’s the life we almost didn’t know we needed.