Blog Posts Archives - Page 2 of 3 - Carolina Memorial Sanctuary

Conservation Burial Ground: A Home For The Animals

Posted on Feb 04 2019 by Anthony Pranger

PIcture of baby turle, snapping turtle and monarch butterfly with text "Sanctuary Wildlife"

As the word “sanctuary” in Carolina Memorial Sanctuary implies, it is a nature reserve, a safe and natural space for people, and also for all the wildlife that is attracted to live there. Safe for the animals is not so much about individual beings, but more about the balance of […]

Conservation Burial Alliance: Death + Conservation + Passion

Posted on Jan 08 2019 by Cassie Barrett

Pic of natural burial grave in forest with text "death+conservation+passion."

It’s a lofty goal: Conserve 1,000,000 acres of land through conservation burial. This was (and still is ) the vision of Billy and Kimberly Campbell – the founders of the conservation burial movement and the owners of the very first conservation burial ground, Ramsey Creek Preserve, which opened in 1996, […]

Preparing for Death: Why It Matters

Posted on Oct 16 2018 by Caroline Yongue

Black and white photo of woman walking down a path in the woods.

Some people think that if they prepare for death, death will come knocking. With 20 plus years of experience now, walking amidst death, I’ve witnessed the results of preparing for death and the consequences of what happens when death is allowed to come as a surprise. Each of us […]

Steward’s Log: Sacred Space

Posted on Aug 03 2018 by Anthony Pranger

Log with mushrooms and moss growing on it, with text "Steward's Log" on top

One of my most difficult challenges working at Carolina Memorial Sanctuary over the years has been expanding my understanding of the space to include others’ ideas and visions for it. Even before the land was purchased, a significant part of that vision was to create a natural setting that would […]

Natural Burial: Embracing Nature

Posted on Jul 11 2018 by Caroline Yongue

When hearing the phrase “being in nature” or “natural setting”, each of us will likely manifest our own unique mental image of what that means to us. This image can change through the years, as we age or as our physical capacity for outdoor enjoyment/activities diminishes or increases. “Natural” is […]

Burials Can Be Beautiful, Healing & Transformational

Posted on Jun 16 2018 by Cassie Barrett

Beautiful. Transformational. Healing. A funeral can actually be all three of those things, when families and friends are invited to participate in the process. I love my job SO MUCH. I get to help promote and practice a way of burial that is kind to the earth. I get to […]

How To Dig A Grave By Hand

Posted on May 21 2018 by Anthony Pranger

Collage of Cassie and Anthony digging a grave

We’ve all seen it a dozen times in the movies… Someone digging a grave. Usually it’s done with one shovel and finished in an hour. Ha! Ha, I say! As if it were only that easy. When we dig graves at Carolina Memorial Sanctuary, everything is done by hand, and […]

Picking Your Final Resting Place: “How will I know when I’ve found my spot?”

Posted on Apr 16 2018 by Caroline Yongue

natural burial in the meadow at Carolina Memorial Sanctuary with mountains in the background

I’m often asked “How will I know when I’ve found my spot?” It takes a little bit of time, a quiet mind and an open heart and then, you will simply know. If you’ve made the decision about whether you want your body to be cremated or buried and communicated […]

Letting Go, Moving On: Reflections on Winter & Loss

Posted on Feb 13 2018 by Anthony Pranger

Blurred and blue winter scene of birch trees with snow underneath

Moving into 2018, we have all felt the bitter cold of winter. This season of raw, vast reflection is not an easy time for me, working primarily outdoors. I’m certain it is a challenging time for many as the cost to heat homes and maintain vehicles often increases in Winter. […]

Steward’s Log: Winter 2018

Posted on Jan 22 2018 by Anthony Pranger

Log with moss on it and the words "Steward's Log, Winter 18'"

A surprising number of families have been out to the Sanctuary in the last month. On cold and blustery days, guests bring their relatives who are in town for the holiday or vacation. While many of them have certainly been uncomfortable riding around in the golf cart with a blanket […]