A new facility in Whitingham is offering an eco-friendly alternative to traditional casket burial or cremation. Sacred Soil, which began operations earlier this month, specializes in what’s known as “natural organic reduction,” a biological process that turns human remains into nutrient-rich, fertile soil — essentially, compost.
Sacred Soil calls the process “terramation.” It begins by laying the deceased in an airtight vessel filled with natural materials such as wood chips, alfalfa and hemp straw, as well as a mixture of fungi and natural bacteria. Over the course of four weeks, the controlled environment and mix of natural microorganisms break the body down into soil, which is then naturally sterilized and cured for 30 days. When the process is complete, families receive a cubic yard of soil that can be used for planting.
“The process is gentle, quiet and natural,” said Chris Wasley, founder of Sacred Soil.
For decades, Wasley’s wife, Andrea, has run a funeral home in Connecticut that specializes in traditional casket funerals and cremation. Wasley said he and his wife wanted to be able to offer clients an eco-friendly choice.
Natural organic reduction isn’t yet allowed in Connecticut, but the process is legal in 12 states, including Vermont, which approved it in 2023.
Natural organic reduction is not to be confused with natural, or “green,” burial, which involves burials without the use of embalming chemicals or nonbiodegradable caskets. Vermont legalized natural burial in 2015.
Only a handful of natural organic reduction facilities exist in the United States, and Wasley said his is the first to offer the service in the Northeast. Wasley hopes to partner with other funeral homes interested in offering it.
“This service is in line with people that love gardening, recycling and going green,” Wasley said. “It really is a ‘going green’ movement.”
The original print version of this article was headlined “Back to the Land”
This article appears in July 22 • 2026.
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