Living Here
A year at the Rancho: 2026 in review
An honest look at what we built, what we didn't, and what we learned in our third year. The coast doesn't rush. Neither do we.
April 8, 2026Journal
Stories from
the Rancho.
Notes on building, living, and growing a community at the edge of Lagunas de Chacahua.
The Land & Chacahua
Why Chacahua? The story behind our search for the right place
We looked at dozens of locations across coastal Mexico. Then we arrived at Lagunas de Chacahua and understood why some places choose you, not the other way around.
Recent
Latest from the journal.
Owning Land in Mexico
The 15 questions we hear most before people visit
Before people book a tour, they usually have the same questions. Here are honest answers to all of them.
March 25, 2026
Build & Sustainability
The permaculture plant list: what grows in our food forest
A working guide to the species we've chosen for the Rancho's food forest — and why each one earns its place in a tropical Oaxacan ecosystem.
March 11, 2026
Owning Land in Mexico
Buying land in Mexico as a couple: what you need to know
Two names on a fideicomiso, one piece of land. Here's how joint ownership works in coastal Mexico, and what to think through before you commit.
February 18, 2026
Wellness & Retreat
Surf and yoga at the edge of the world: what a week at the Rancho feels like
Yoga at sunrise. Surf in the afternoon. The Pacific, the lagoon, and the kind of tired that means you actually rested.
February 4, 2026
School & Education
Nature-based education on the Oaxacan coast: what we've learned
Our first sessions at Nandia taught us something unexpected: the landscape teaches faster than we do.
January 21, 2026
The Land & Chacahua
Getting to Rancho de las Estrellas from the US, Canada, and Europe
A practical guide to every realistic route from North America and Europe to the Pacific coast of Oaxaca.
January 7, 2026
Build & Sustainability
Five things that surprised us about building with adobe in the tropics
Adobe works. But not exactly the way the books describe it. Here's what we learned building with earth in a hot, humid coastal climate.
December 3, 2025
The Land & Chacahua
Chacahua vs. Mazunte: which Oaxacan coast is right for you?
Two coastlines, two completely different rhythms. We've lived in both places long enough to give you an honest comparison.
November 12, 2025Stay in the loop.
Occasional notes from the Rancho — new journal posts, community updates, and stories from the coast. No spam, ever.