Luxury resorts are increasingly launching self-sustaining farms for a variety of reasons, including enhancing guest experiences, promoting sustainability and ensuring food supply. These resort farms often offer unique culinary offerings, showcase eco-conscious practices and create a stronger connection between the resort and its environment.

Moncayo, Puerto Rico

Moncayo is a transformative 1,100-acre resort and residential community in Puerto Rico designed by Hart Howerton. The resort — located on the relatively untraveled east coast of the island — is developing a 100-acre farm with educational, retail and experiential components that will become the heart and soul of the property. The farm will serve as a leading model for sustainable, regenerative agriculture for the whole island, using clever farming techniques such as agroforestry and syntropic agriculture to offset challenges with growing food in Puerto Rico’s tropical climate. The aim is to ultimately help reduce the island’s problematic 85% food import dependency.

Guests and homeowners at Moncayo’s Auberge hotel and residences, opening in 2027, will have a front-row seat inside this exciting mission, where they can join in on everyday operations and become a part of the journey to inspire a deeper connection between the local community and its agricultural roots. The experiences will include hands-on workshops and classes, tailored culinary programs, hyper-local farmers markets and an extensive network of trails that will connect the farm’s many distinct facets. This ranges from a solar farm housing grazing sheep as a natural way to maintain the land, to a learning center, fruit orchard, tree nursery and vegetable patch dedicated to growing foods that are hard to get in Puerto Rico, like kale, lettuce and tomatoes. Farm animals like chickens, sheep and cows will also be kept on property, and there are also wild horses that explore at leisure.

Carter Redd, President of Moncayo, says, “Moncayo is a community built on shared experiences and meaningful connection to the land, local culture and a relaxed, healthy lifestyle, so it made sense to introduce a 100-acre organic farm and plant, tree nursery on property. As the first community in the area to offer such an amenity, the farm will be a model for sustainable, regenerative agriculture in Puerto Rico and will evolve with each growing season and harvest. While the farm will be available and benefit our surrounding neighbors, there will also be exclusive offerings for Moncayo residents and hotel guests including farm-to-table dining experiences, immersive encounters and a scenic trail network encouraging adventure and meaningful engagement with the natural biophilic landscape.”

Read the full article in Forbes