Frequently Asked Questions

A day or two before the burial, our staff and volunteers will dig the grave by hand (in most instances, family members may help dig the grave if they wish). Once the family and the body arrive on the day of the burial, the body will be placed on a wooden, hand-drawn cart that can transfer it from the hearse to the gravesite. If the family would like, they may perform a ceremony at this time. Then, the body is lowered by hand into the grave, using straps. Finally, staff, volunteers, and/or family members close the grave (fill it in), which generally takes about an hour of manual shoveling. 

You may be buried in any shroud (all-natural fabric) or a casket made from all-natural, rapidly biodegradable materials. If you would like to purchase a green burial-friendly casket or shroud and aren’t sure where to start, we have a list of vendors we often recommend that can be found here. Heritage Acres does not have full body caskets or shrouds available for purchase directly. 

You have the option to purchase a flat natural stone marker that will be installed on the grave after the burial. You may purchase the marker from Heritage Acres, or may provide your own, as long as it is natural, unpolished stone or wood no larger than 10 x 15 inches. We do not allow monuments, benches, or trees to be installed next to a specific grave. The family will also be given the GPS coordinates of their loved one’s plot, so they can always know exactly where the person is buried. 

At Heritage Acres, graves are dug at least 3.5 feet deep. Although this may not be as deep as graves dug in conventional cemeteries, it is deep enough to form a “smell barrier” that prevents animals from being attracted to graves. There has never been a reported instance of animals digging up green burial graves. 

We can dig graves and perform burials any time of the year. In this region, it usually doesn’t get cold enough for the ground to be so frozen that a grave can’t be dug. 

Right after the burial, the grave will simply resemble a large mound of topsoil with pieces of sod surrounding it. Over time, the soil will begin to settle and sink. As the grave settles, grass seed is planted on the grave, so after about six months the grave will resemble a small, grassy mound. Over the course of many years, the grave will eventually become more flat. 

Yes, we do bury cremated remains at Heritage Acres, both in the burial meadow, and in the woods. However, the chemical makeup of ashes requires that they must be “amended” using a nutrient-rich soil product that will allow them to chemically integrate into the earth and nourish other life (read more about this here). Heritage Acres staff will amend the ashes before the burial. 

If you like, we can bury cremated remains (mixed with our soil amendment product) straight into the ground. If you prefer a container, you may provide an urn for a cremation burial, as long as it is made of natural materials and is biodegradable. However, most commercially available urns are not large enough to contain the mixture of both ashes and amendment; therefore, we do offer a locally handmade, wooden “cremation casket” that accommodates the combined ashes and amendment. 

Yes. If you choose to bury a pet, they will be buried in our pet section, specifically designated for animals. You may bury a deceased pet’s cremated remains or their full body. 

We do not plant saplings at gravesites because the amount of water a young tree requires would disrupt the natural decomposition process occurring in the grave. Read more about this here. We do, however, have a Memorial Tree program that allows adoption of a tree elsewhere on the property in memory of a loved one. 

Because Heritage Acres embraces a natural landscape, it can be a challenge for some people with mobility issues to walk to a gravesite. However, the sanctuary is able to drive people to many gravesites using our golf cart, and we are willing to assist mobility challenges in any way possible. 

Because the use of a funeral home is not required by law, a “home funeral” is simply the practice of conducting all end-of-life services without the assistance of a licensed funeral home. This means, for example, that the family may keep a loved one’s body at home for several days, cooled by dry ice, etc., instead of placing them at a funeral home facility. Some people who value green burial also value home funerals, but you do not have to have a home funeral in order to have a green burial. More information about home funerals can be found here. 

Compared to conventional burial, green burial can be more cost efficient. At Heritage Acres, the cost of the actual burial plot is comparable to that of a conventional cemetery, but because the family doesn’t have to purchase a burial vault and is not obligated to purchase an expensive casket, the final cost is often much lower than that of a conventional burial. Our price list can be found here. 

A funeral home will handle paperwork such as the death certificate and transportation permits. They can also store the body in a refrigerated unit before burial, place the body in the casket or shroud of your choice, and transport the body to Heritage Acres. If you are using a funeral home, we will work with them to coordinate logistics. 

The Green Burial Council is the recognized leader in natural burial education and certification. Our certification as a natural burial ground by the Green Burial Council means we are able to demonstrate compliance with their high standards. Some of our staff and Board members are also certified individually by the GBC. In general, many of the decisions Heritage Acres makes come from the Green Burial Council’s guidelines and rules. Read more about the Green Burial Council here. 

Heritage Acres does not require the removal of medical devices or artificial implants. 

If you are interested in being buried at Heritage Acres, we encourage you to pay for your burial rights ahead of time. This is known as “pre-planning.” You may purchase burial rights at a specific location, or you may simply purchase the right to be buried at Heritage Acres and let family members select the exact location of your plot at the time of death. Come out for a tour to look at the grounds and consider your options! Our cemetery manager will guide you through the process of purchasing burial rights. Request a tour here. 

If you are in the process of planning for your or a loved one’s death but aren’t sure of everything that needs to be done, this page on our website outlines important steps to take to make sure everything is in order ahead of time. 

Please navigate to our “Immediate Need” page to see the steps that should be taken in the case of imminent or recent death. If plans have not been pre-arranged with Heritage Acres, we can discuss and take care of that promptly.