February 2026
- Bailey McLaughlin
- Feb 23
- 3 min read
We have been gratified to meet so many new people at our events this winter. Winter means we are out in the community more, but it also brings great beauty to Vermont Forest Cemetery. The lush greens of the spring and summer and the stunning colors of fall are replaced by the sharp contrast between the snow and muted greens of the pine and spruce, dark wood of the tree trunks, and dark shades of the surrounding newly visible vistas of the Green Mountains in the background. The back-and-forth shift from snow to melt brings striking scenes of white snow in the evergreens alternating with sparkles of ice in the tops of trees on sunny days.
Yes, we do bury in the winter. Indeed, we have already buried five people. Winter burials present some special challenges for us and for mourners. But we have found that it is still possible to have truly beautiful and moving experiences despite the weather. Working through winter and looking ahead to spring reminds us how important our volunteers are. If you are interested in helping support families on burial days please email bailey@cemetery.eco to join our list or click the button bellow.
Introducing the Center for Natural Reciprocity
This month we received the exciting news that the Internal Revenue Service has granted 501(c)(3) status for a new nonprofit, the Center for Natural Reciprocity. While the Vermont Forest Cemetery nonprofit must stay focused by law on burial, the Center will support the broader mission of bringing education/research, conservation, art, and community building activities to the land. The Center has received a generous founding donation in memory of Kyla Grunberg Allon, and 501(c)(3) status means it will be able to accept Qualified Charitable Distributions from traditional IRAs. We are very pleased to welcome our sister nonprofit and we look forward to bringing the full vision of Vermont Forest Cemetery to life.
We have a busy schedule of events including our monthly virtual Q&A sessions. Join Jim Hogle and Michelle Hogle Acciavatti on Zoom to answer all of your natural burial questions and join the growing community of natural burial advocates. Our next session will be March 26th and we will host two more (April 23rd and May 28th) all starting at 6pm.
We will be hosting our book club again for the month of March! Keep your eyes open on social media to learn what we’ll read next. We will meet Sunday on March 22nd at 4pm.
Come see a showing of the award-winning documentary From Earth to Earth: The Lost Art of Dying in America at the Jeudevine Memorial Library in Hardwick on February 26th at 6:00pm, at the Pierson Library in Shelburne on March 11th at 6:30pm, at the Richmond Public Library on March 12 at 1:30pm (sponsored by the Community Center for Huntington-Bolton-Richmond), and at the Manchester Community Library on March 14 at 11:00am).
If anyone would like to help organize a showing of the documentary in their community, please contact Jim Hogle at info@cemetery.eco. We look forward to meeting new people and seeing familiar faces at some of these events, and to the time when we can once again schedule guided tours of the cemetery once winter and mud season are over. Be sure to watch our Newsletter, our webpage (www.cemetery.eco) and social media for additional event announcements.
Visiting in Winter
The town highways leading to the cemetery are very well maintained, and we continue to keep the cemetery lane and our two parking areas are plowed and accessible within 48 hours of significant snowfalls. However, visitors are reminded that snow tires and four-wheel or all-wheel drive are essential for winter travel off pavement. Trails can be icy, good winter footwear with appropriate tread and/or traction aids are strongly recommended.
Those of us who work at Vermont Forest Cemetery are committed to providing the best possible service to our community, and encourage you to contact us at any time with questions, concerns or ideas at info@cemetery.eco.
We value your continued support and are deeply indebted to those of you who have volunteered to help build trails, participate in burials, or just bear witness for those experiencing loss; for those who chose to make tax deductible donations, and to those who have chosen to support us through advanced purchases of burial rights. Thank you for your continued support!
We hope to see many of you at the cemetery. It is a beautiful place in all seasons, made all the more beautiful by the stories it holds.
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