April Snow
On the first day in April, folks are on the lookout for tricks and surprises. When I opened my door, expecting to enjoy a spring morning in the Herland Forest, I was surprised to find two inches of snow on … Continued
Direct Natural Burial
In order to limit the spread of the Covid-19 virus, the governors of Washington and Oregon have issued orders forbidding public gatherings; those orders include funerals. One result will be that in the days ahead, people will be choosing between … Continued
A Good Death
Our dear friend Elaine Clark has invited us to be part of the natural death program that she’s put together at her church in Seattle in late March. Elaine and her husband James are Guardians of Herland Forest, and Elaine’s … Continued
Why We Do This
There are many reasons why the Windward crew decided to dedicate part of our land to become a natural burial cemetery. It took more than a decade to gain the legal permissions, to make the improvements that the county required, … Continued
Winter Camp
We’ve been stewarding the Herland Forest for more than thirty years, and it seems like no two winters are the same. We’ve had winters where the snow drifts were more than four feet deep, and other winters without any snow … Continued
Snow Tracks
tracks in the snow show who’s active in winter
Why Goats?
Creating a sustainable natural burial cemetery involves weaving lots of threads together, some of which are fairly obvious, but some threads need a bit of explanation. Goats are a good example. The primary permaculture role our goats play involves converting … Continued
Prelude to Winter
Herland Forest lies under the jet stream, right where it comes in from its journey across the Pacific. That’s the atmospheric effect that gives the Pacific Northwest the steady rain and moderate temperatures that it’s famous for. Located on the … Continued
Migrating to a New Facebook Page
For a variety of reasons, we’re migrating our old Facebook page to a new location. Please visit us on Facebook at The Herland Forest Natural Burial Cemetery to follow along with the evolution of the Herland Forest.
Towards the One
The following is from Debora’s obituary. Debora (Basira) Goldstein died of pancreatic cancer on September 20, 2019. She was born September 3, 1950 in Chicago, the eldest of three children of Marie (Martz) and Albert Goldstein. The family moved to … Continued
Undertaking: the podcast
Click on the image to hear the podcast. We just got back from DeathCon, the annual gathering of cemeteries, crematoriums and funeral directors working in Oregon and Washington. It was a fascinating opportunity to connect with other people doing this … Continued
Natural Organic Reduction
aka “Human Composting”
Price List and NOR Authorization form And if you live outside of the Pacific Northwest and are interested in natural organic reduction in the immediate future, please contact us about interstate transport options. In 2019, the Washington state legislature approved … Continued
Burial in the Snow
Herland Forest, our natural burial park, is a very private place, well away from the nearest paved road and all the traffic that implies. For most of the year, we see that as a very good thing, but that degree … Continued
2 Hearts 2 Gether 4 Ever
When the Franks contacted us, they asked the intriguing question of whether it would be possible for them to be buried shoulder to shoulder? The sentiment was something we understood and appreciated, and since Herland Forest does not use concrete … Continued
Chris’ Chestnut
From Chris’ memorial card: Christopher R. Heitner, 46, of Spokane, WA, passed away in his home on Oct. 6, 2018 of ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). Chris was born in North Dakota in 1972. He went to Lewis & Clark H.S. … Continued