What to Expect

Contact Us in Advance

When a death is imminent, it’s crucial to contact both your preferred funeral director and Herland Forest as soon as possible. This ensures that all necessary arrangements are in place and helps guide you through the process.


Understanding the Process

What Should You Expect When Someone Dies?

The experience of death can vary greatly depending on whether it occurs suddenly or gradually. While you cope with the emotional aspects, local funeral directors and Herland Forest staff will handle the practical details. Below is a general outline to guide you through the process. Please reach out with any questions you may have.

Death in a Hospital

  • Refrigeration: If death occurs in a hospital, the body may be refrigerated for up to 48 hours.
  • Transportation: Nursing homes and hospices usually require prompt transportation of the body.

Death at Home

  • Documentation: If death occurs at home, a family doctor or medical examiner must visit to complete the death certificate. If the deceased was in an in-home hospice program, the hospice nurse will typically coordinate this with the doctor.
  • Funeral Director’s Role: In some states, the funeral director obtains the death certificate and collects biographical information from the family, including birth date, place of residence, occupation, and veteran status. This information is used in the death certificate and reviewed before final disposition (burial, cremation, out-of-state transportation, or donation to medical school).


Filing and Permits

  • Death Certificate: Funeral directors have 72 hours to file the death certificate with the county health department. The health department then issues a burial transit permit.
  • Burial Requirements: The burial transit permit and full payment are required for burial. Once the burial is scheduled, the Funeral Director will usually transport the body, along with the burial transit permit, to Herland Forest. Alternative arrangements can be made including transport by next of kin.


Funeral Costs and Requirements

General Price List: All funeral homes must provide a general price list, including:

  • Direct cremation package
  • Direct transportation from place of death to cemetery (no embalming, no obituary, no service) including the minimum receptacle. You may purchase a casket from anyone or make your own.

Once the burial or cremation is complete, Herland’s staff will mail a copy of the burial transit permit to the health department.


What You Should Know

Transport and Embalming:

  • Embalming: No state requires embalming. For state-specific regulations, refer to Caring for Your Own Dead by Lisa Carlson.
  • Vaults: Vaults are not required at Herland Forest. Requirements vary by state:
  • KS, ID, MN: Embalming required for common carrier transport (e.g., by plane).
  • NJ, AK: Embalming required for out-of-state transport if not reaching the destination within 24 hours.
  • AL: Embalming required for any out-of-state transport.

We accept embalmed bodies for burial where required by such laws, so long as the embalming is done with Green Burial Council approved, nontoxic chemicals.


Handling and Preparation:

  • Home Funerals: If a death occurs at home, you can prepare the body for transport. After completing the death certificate, you may wash and prepare the body, placing it in a casket or shroud for visitation.
  • Transportation: For shrouds, use a wide, sturdy trundle (plank). Place ice packs or dry ice around the body if you need to wait a day or two before burial. Wear gloves when handling dry ice and avoid using airtight containers.


Understanding Decomposition:


Contact Us

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please contact us at herlandforest@gmail.com. We’re here to support you through this process and ensure that every detail is handled with care.