We finally turned onto the dirt road to Valhalla, and shortly after, the parking area. Tourists were cramming into the only two minibuses in the lot. We were going to have the place to ourselves. We followed the well-marked path through bamboo-like plants and past beautiful medium-sized trees with shiny dark green leaves. These were the macadamias; I had been expecting something much larger. We then past flats of nuts drying, an odd-looking exercise bicycle, and up the stairs to the store. During a short wait, we looked around the store and my stomach started to rumble. There were chocolate-covered macadamias, macadamia brittle, plain macadamias, and so much more. There were also skincare products made from macadamia oil, macadamia flour for cooking, and other unexpected items.

After a 5-minute wait, a guide showed up. The tour started with a sample of chocolate (white and dark) covered macadamias, which we happily munched on while we listened to the spiel about the farm. The main interest here is the ecology and the economy of small Guatemalan villages. The macadamia tree converts large amounts of carbon monoxide into oxygen and puts nitrogen into the ground instead of taking it out, making it a sustainable crop, eliminating the need to slash and burn. Although it is not native to the Americas, it does very well here. For over 20 years, the farm has been improving on their original stock, making stronger trees with higher carbon consumption that produce more nutmeat and are perfectly adapted to the local climate. Valhalla donates many seedlings to villages for reforestation where other crops have left the ground barren. They also teach the villagers about macadamias, about their many uses, and about processing them. Equipment for small-scale production, sustainable by the community, is also donated.

We were led back the way we came. We learned about picking, sorting, and shelling. The exercise bicycle is actually a nutcracker. The guide knew each tree, why it was kept, and what its traits were. A few of the trees exuded a heavenly scent. By the time we arrived back at the store, we were ravenous and ready for our macadamia pancakes. They were not pancakes with nuts, but pancakes made of macadamia flour, which were interesting and definitely edible, but not great. Valhalla is open daily from 8am to 5pm. The tour is free, breakfast is not.