Funeral Service National Board Exams Tutoring

Kristle and The Spirit of Nature

Healing Through Creation:  Carolyn’s Journey to Sacred Embers

New Hampshire In New Hampshire, the land itself tells a story of endurance, granite ledges, maple forests, and quiet fields that have held generations of families. It’s no surprise that many here are drawn to green burial, a practice that reflects the state’s independent spirit and deep respect for nature. Whether resting beneath sugar maples in autumn or beside a field of mountain laurel, natural burial connects people to the same landscape they cherished in life. It’s a simple, sincere return to the elements, free from chemicals, vaults, and excess, where the body nourishes the land, and the land, in turn, offers peace. 🌿Lotus and Lavender Natural Burial (in progress) - Portsmouth, NH Nestled in the heart of New Hampshire’s Seacoast region, Lotus & Lavender Natural Burial is leading the charge toward a more peaceful, eco-conscious way of returning to the earth. As a 501(c)(13) nonprofit cemetery organization, they are dedicated to creating a true natural burial ground, one where the cycle of life continues uninterrupted, and the land remains protected for generations to come. They’re cur rently looking for land to establish this sanctuary and are inviting the community to be part of this next step. Here’s what they need to get started: 🌾 At least 3 acres in a rural or semi-rural setting ☀️ Mostly cleared land is ideal 📍 Within 30 minutes of Portsmouth (preferred) 💧 No wetlands within 100 ft A gift, sale, or long-term lease of lan d to Lotus & Lavender comes with many benefits, including contributing to a legacy of conservation and community service. All discussions are confidential and handled with care. If you or someone you know has land that might be a fit, reach out and help make New Hampshire’s next natural burial ground a reality. 🌸 🌿White Mountain Conservation Burial (in progress) - NH White Mountain Conservation Burial is working to protect the land that has long protected us, creating natural burial grounds in partnership with land trusts across the Lakes Region and White Mountains of New Hampshire. Natural burial isn’t just about where we rest; it’s about belonging, to the forests, lakes, and mountains that sustained us in life. Here, burial becomes an act of giving back, a way to return fully to the land that shaped our memories and our sense of place. This nonprofit cemetery organization is forming partnerships with landowners and conservation groups to establish burial grounds in Grafton, Carroll, and Belknap counties. Whether you’ve hiked the 4,000-footers or found peace by the lakes, White Mountain Conservation Burial hopes to provide a forever resting place that honors your relationship with nature. If you love the White Mountains and believe in protecting New Hampshire’s land through meaningful end-of-life choices, this is your invitation to get involved. They’re currently seeking: 🌿 Board Members- New Hampshire requires nonprofit cemetery boards of at least five directors. If you want to help shape the future of green burial in the Granite State, your leadership is needed. 🪓 Trail Crew Volunteers- From clearing paths to maintaining walking trails, there’s plenty of meaningful outdoor work to be done. 🪣 Burial Crew Volunteers- Join a team of kindred spirits who prepare and close graves by hand — honoring each life through shared effort. 📬 Community Support- Whether organizing newsletters, managing outreach, or gathering supplies, every role helps build something lasting. If there isn’t a green burial ground nearby, many of New Hampshire’s small-town or church cemeteries are open to dialogue about becoming “hybrid.” Start by speaking with cemetery trustees or the town’s selectboard to ask if bylaws allow for vault waivers or biodegradable caskets. Offer to share examples from nearby states or from local conservation groups that have helped establish natural sections. New Hampshire’s strong tradition of local control means community support carries weight, gathering signatures or hosting an informational session can show genuine public interest. With respectful collaboration, even long-established cemeteries can evolve to honor both tradition and the environment that defines the Granite State. If you want information on how to start your own natural burial cemetery, or you want to make me aware of another green, natural, or hybrid cemetery in this state, please reach out!

Oklahoma Oklahoma’s story is one of land and legacy, a place where wide skies meet endless prairies, and where the rhythm of the seasons still shapes daily life. Beneath those skies, a quiet movement is taking root: one that honors both ancestors and the earth through natural burial . In a state defined by resilience and reverence for the land, it feels only right to return our bodies to the soil that sustained us, allowing the prairie to reclaim and renew itself with each passing season. Green burial in Oklahoma reflects the region’s deep agricultural and Indigenous respect for the natural world, no vaults, no chemicals, no polished marble, just earth, wildflowers, and sky. At Green Haven Cemetery and a growing number of community sites, families are finding comfort in simplicity, participating in hand-lowerings, planting native grasses, and watching new life bloom where loss once lay heavy. 🌿Green Tree Burial Ground - Mead, OK In the rolling countryside near Sand Springs, Green Tree Burial Ground is leading Oklahoma toward a more natural and sustainable future in deathcare. This peaceful 10-acre woodland sanctuary offers families a way to return to the earth simply and gracefully, no vaults, no embalming, and no harm to the land. At Green Tree, graves are dug by hand, and only biodegradable shrouds or caskets are used. Families may take part in the burial, laying their loved one to rest amid native trees and wildflowers. There are no concrete markers or manicured lawns here, just the quiet presence of nature, thriving as it always has. Every burial supports ongoing land stewardship. The cemetery’s founders are dedicated to preserving Oklahoma’s natural beauty and educating the public about the ecological benefits of green burial. Their mission is both simple and profound: to make every farewell an act of restoration. Green Tree welcomes people of all faiths and backgrounds. It’s a place for reflection, belonging, and connection, a reminder that in returning to the earth, we become part of something enduring and alive. As one of Oklahoma’s first true natural burial grounds, Green Tree Burial Ground is setting a new standard, proving that even in the heartland, sustainability and remembrance can grow side by side. 🌿Green Haven Cemetery - Stillwater, OK In the quiet countryside west of Stillwat er, Green Haven Cemetery offers Oklahomans a way to return to the earth naturally, in harmony with the land and free from modern interference. As one of Oklahoma’s few dedicated natural burial grounds, Green Haven allows the physical body to rejoin the soil without vaults, embalming, or heavy caskets. At Green Haven, the body is placed directly into the ground in a biodegradable shroud, allowing for a complete and natural return to the earth. The landscape remains uncluttered by individual headstones or monuments, instead, a single Monolith Cenotaph stands at the cemetery’s entrance, where families can have their loved one’s names engraved. The grounds are maintained as a native meadow, rich with wildflowers and native grasses, reflecting Oklahoma’s natural beauty. As a perpetual-care cemetery, Green Haven uses sustainable land stewardship methods to preserve the land’s integrity for generations to come. While often called “green burial,” this practice is anything but new. Green Haven continues the oldest form of burial, one that honors both the dead and the living world. Here, families can choose a resting place that mirrors their values of simplicity, conservation, and respect for the environment. For those who lived close to the land and want their final act to reflect that connection, Green Haven offers peace among open skies and prairie blooms, a burial that sustains life long after it ends.  🌿Chisolm Trail Burial Park - Enid, OK 🌿Woodland Memorial Park (Hybrid) - Sand Springs, OK For those without a local green cemetery, progress begins with conversation and collaboration. Reach out to your town’s existing cemetery or churchyard and ask whether they would consider offering hybrid green burials, a simple section set aside where vaults are optional, embalming is discouraged, and biodegradable caskets or shrouds are welcome. Cemeteries are often willing to adapt once they understand that natural burial is legal in every state and can reduce maintenance costs over time. Share information from the Green Burial Council or examples of nearby cemeteries that have already made the shift. Oklahoma’s land has always carried stories of return, from the dust that rose and settled again to the seeds that found new ground. Green burial is just another chapter in that story, a way for Oklahomans to rest, not apart from the land, but as part of it. 🌻 If you want information on how to start your own natural burial cemetery, or you want to make me aware of another green, natural, or hybrid cemetery in this state, please reach out!

Missouri Missouri’s rolling hills, oak forests, and winding rivers have long reflected the rhythm of renewal. Here, green burial feels like a homecoming, simple, grounded, and full of meaning. Families across the state are rediscovering that death care can be both traditional and natural, honoring loved ones without the need for embalming, vaults, or excess. From the Ozark highlands to the fertile plains of the north, Missourians are choosing to return to the earth just as their ancestors did, wrapped in cloth, laid beneath trees, and surrounded by life. It’s a quiet act of love, rooted in the soil that has always sustained them. 🌿Green Acres Natural Burial Cemetery - Rocheport, MO In Missouri, Green Acres, also known as Pushing Up Daisies Inc., was created to give families “the ultimate way of going green.” As a natural burial ground, the cemetery allows only biodegradable materials: no embalming, no metal, no plastic, and no concrete vaults. Its mission is clear, protect the land, air, and water while providing affordable, compassionate burial options. Green Acres was founded on the belief that traditional funerals are often too expensive and environmentally harmful. Here, families can choose natural burial at a fraction of the cost of conventional practices, with flexible payment options and straightforward care. Everything at Green Acres is designed to preserve the earth: graves must use biodegradable containers or shrouds, vaults and liners are prohibited, and only natural flat rocks can be used as markers. The cemetery maintains full stewardship of the grounds, ensuring trails, plantings, and burials blend into the landscape. By choosing Green Acres, families eliminate confusion about their wishes, avoid unnecessary costs, and leave a final act of care for the planet. It’s not just a resting place, it’s a statement of responsibility and love. For Missouri, Green Acres stands as a beacon of what’s possible: an active, dedicated natural burial ground where remembrance and conservation walk hand in hand. 🌿Bellfontaine Cemetery & Arboretum (hybrid) - St. Louis, MO Green burial is permitted throughout all of Bellefontaine Cemetery, whether on a new or existing family lot, or a single grave in a public lot. Individuals can choose to mix green burial options with traditional burial practices to meet specific wishes and desires. For example, one may choose to be un-embalmed, in a shroud, biodegradable, is slower in its return to the earth than a shroud or simple casket. 🌿Zion Cemetery (hybrid) - St. Louis, MO At Zion Cemetery, we take great pride in being one of the few Green Burial Council certified cemeteries in St. Louis. Our commitment to sustainability and environmental preservation sets us apart, providing a meaningful alternative to traditional burial methods. By choosing a green burial at Zion Cemetery, you contribute to a more eco-friendly and natural end-of-life process, leaving a lasting legacy of care for our planet. If your community doesn’t yet have a designated green burial ground, start by reaching out to local cemetery caretakers or boards to discuss creating a natural or hybrid section. Missouri’s agricultural roots make this concept easy to embrace, land stewardship is part of the culture. Ask about existing requirements for vaults or embalming; many small-town cemeteries can amend bylaws with community support. Share examples of successful hybrid models across the Midwest and resources from the Green Burial Council. By working together, you can help transform traditional cemeteries into sanctuaries that celebrate Missouri’s connection to nature and the cycle of life. If you want information on how to start your own natural burial cemetery, or you want to make me aware of another green, natural, or hybrid cemetery in this state, please reach out!

Montana In Montana, the land feels limitless, mountains rise into the clouds, rivers carve through valleys, and the horizon seems to stretch forever. It’s a place where life and nature are inseparable, and where many Montanans are rediscovering burial traditions that reflect that harmony. Green burial here offers a quiet, grounded return to the earth, without the intrusion of chemicals or concrete. Each natural burial restores life to the land, echoing the rugged simplicity and reverence for nature that defines the Big Sky State. Whether in prairie grasslands or pine forests, Montana’s open spaces remind us that returning to the soil is the most natural act of all. 🌿Mountainview Cemetery (hybrid) - City of Billings, Billings, MT Available in Mountview Cemetery selectively. It's not much, but it's a start. If your community doesn’t yet have a natural burial ground, start by speaking with caretakers or local cemetery boards about adding a “green section.” Montana’s vast landscapes and rural culture make this especially practical, no vaults or heavy maintenance are needed. Ask about existing bylaws regarding vaults or embalming; many can be amended through board approval. Offer examples of hybrid cemeteries in similar climates across the West to demonstrate how simple policy changes can create eco-friendly options. By encouraging dialogue and sharing resources from the Green Burial Council, you can help Montana cemeteries evolve their practices to honor the land’s natural beauty while preserving it for generations to come. If you want information on how to start your own natural burial cemetery, or you want to make me aware of another green, natural, or hybrid cemetery in this state, please reach out!

Nevada 🌿 If you want information on how to start your own natural burial cemetery, or you want to make me aware of another green, natural, or hybrid cemetery in this state, please reach out!

New Jersey Known as the Garden State, New Jersey has always held a deep reverence for its landscapes, rolling farmlands, pine forests, and coastal meadows. Green burial here feels like a return to the state’s original promise: harmony between people and place. As urban and suburban communities seek more meaningful, sustainable ways to honor life’s end, natural burial is quietly taking root. Families are rediscovering that simplicity, no embalming, no vaults, no polished metal, can be profoundly beautiful. Whether in the hills of Hunterdon County or near the salt air of the Shore, New Jersey’s green burial movement is reminding families that true peace lies in returning gently to the earth. 🌿Steelmantown Cemetery - Woodbine, NJ Tucked in the Pine Barrens of Cape May County, Steelmantown Cemetery is one of the oldest continually operating natural burial grounds in the country. With burials dating back to the 1700s, this sacred woodland has been restored as a conservation cemetery, where the forest itself is both sanctuary and memorial. Steelmantown permits only biodegradable caskets or shrouds, no embalming, and no vaults or liners. Graves are dug by hand, and families are invited to take part in the process of lowering and covering their loved one, adding to the intimacy and meaning of the farewell. Markers are natural and modest, often simple wooden or stone pieces that allow the forest to remain the focus. Over time, each resting place blends back into the landscape, supporting the ecological health of the Pine Barrens. Once nearly abandoned, Steelmantown was lovingly restored to preserve its heritage and to create a model for how burial grounds can also serve as conservation spaces. Today, it stands as a testament to both history and sustainability, offering New Jersey families a natural way to return to the earth.  🌿Rosemont Cemetery (hybrid) - Rosemont, NJ The Rosemont Cemetery Association is committed to providing quality end of life choices to meet the needs of all in the community it serves while enhancing the Cemetery’s natural beauty and heritage. As such, in addition to providing traditional burial spaces, on Earth Day 2017, the Cemetery unveiled its newest section, the Rosemont Memorial Garden and Natural Burial Area. This opening represents the culmination of years of work to create a meaningful, well-thought out area where those wishing to lessen the environmental impact of burial can choose to rest. Much thought was put into the design of the Rosemont Memorial Garden and Natural Burial Area, which sits at the bottom of the hill, bordered on one side by beautiful woodlands and on another side by a farm field. The concept of this burial area is to provide a peaceful place for loved ones to visit and that is inviting to the community; to those that have loved ones buried here, as well as to those that simply want to find a space of peaceful quiet reflection. The graves in the Memorial Garden are laid out in a series of concentric circles, with the circles representing the circle of life and the community that surrounds the Cemetery. This design concept represents a paradigm shift from the traditional rectangular grave layouts to a more natural layout. To bring natural burial options to your area, start by opening a conversation with local cemetery trustees or sextons. Many New Jersey cemeteries, even historic ones, are finding ways to adapt by offering hybrid sections that allow biodegradable caskets and vault-free burials. Share examples such as Steelmantown Cemetery or Maryrest Cemetery’s natural section to illustrate how successful these integrations can be. Emphasize that adding green options doesn’t require an overhaul, just flexibility in policy and a willingness to meet changing family values. Suggest hosting a community talk or workshop to gauge interest and show that offering green burial isn’t just an environmental choice, it’s an act of stewardship and renewal in the Garden State. If you want information on how to start your own natural burial cemetery, or you want to make me aware of another green, natural, or hybrid cemetery in this state, please reach out!