Reclaiming the Journey of Death and Dying: Green Burials in Minnesota
2026-11-08 09:30 - 15:00 (America/Chicago) | Women’s Environmental Institute, 15715 River Rd, North Branch, MN 55056, United States
Course Description: On May 24, 2024, Governor Walz signed a bill legalizing natural organic reduction (human composting) in Minnesota, making us the 11th state to legalize this new option for people to return to the earth naturally, with fewer harmful environmental impacts. Starting July 1, 2025, licensed providers will be able to offer this service in Minnesota.
With green burial options come a new way of thinking about death and the dying process. This unique class provides an introduction to green burial options in Minnesota, given by a leader at the forefront of the state’s green burial movement. This is paired with an exploration of what it means to reclaim the dying process, death rituals, and new ways of understanding the historical, social, cultural, political, spiritual, and ethical contexts that influence our views of death and dying.
In addition to learning about human composting, water cremation, and green burial, the class will explore emerging/returning practices of keeping people at home during the dying process, home vigils, and family/friends directed funerals/rituals. We will end with a variety of local and national resources.
This class will include a morning session, hour+ lunch break with time for a walk outdoors or relaxing stroll through the farm, and an afternoon session.
What to Bring: Please bring your own lunch, notebook and pen. Optional: Feel free to bring an object to place on the centerpiece that represents an experience you’ve had with death.
All are welcome – WEI classes are open to everyone.
Instructor Bios:
Carol Geisler, Ph.D. is a professor who teaches in the Master of Arts in Holistic Health Studies at St. Catherine University. She has been interested in the journeys of death and dying for over 30 years in her roles as a nurse, psychologist, and spiritual seeker. She is passionate about consciously reclaiming the dying process and educating people about available choices.

Taelor Johnson is the Communications Director for Interra Green Burial by Mueller Memorial and helped Interra become one of only two funeral providers in Minnesota to be certified by the national Green Burial Council. She recently testified before the MN House and Senate as part of the successful effort to legalize NOR in Minnesota, and is working to make sustainability-focused disposition options more accessible.
Make a day of it! On the way to WEI, visit charming Lindstrom, MN, for Northwoods Roasterie coffee and a pastry from the Lindstrom Bakery. After class, visit Wild River State Park (only 10 minutes from WEI). Franconia Sculpture Park is also nearby and open ’til 8pm daily.
If you would be interested in staying overnight at WEI before and/or after this class, please reserve accommodations through our FarmStay.

Introduction to Growing and Crafting with Hazel
2026-11-14 10:30 - 16:00
Course Description: Spend a day learning the basics and benefits of growing hazel in the Upper Midwest. We will discuss the various species that grow in our region; ecosystem benefits of these plants; strategies for establishment, maintenance, harvest, and processing; and end the day learning about coppicing and how to craft a wreath with coppiced hazel stems. Whether you’re considering farm-scale agroforestry or looking to add new natives to your backyard, hazel is a resilient source of habitat, food, skin care, mulch, and crafting material.
All are welcome – WEI classes are open to everyone.
If you would be interested in staying overnight at WEI before and/or after this class, please reserve accommodations through our FarmStay.
What to Bring: $10 materials fee paid directly to instructor on day of class. For the crafting portion of the course, students might want to bring work gloves. They are also encouraged to bring pruning shears or be prepared to share with other students. If time allows, we may be able to further decorate the wreaths we make at the end of the course. Students are welcome to bring additional materials for this if they like, such as ribbons and other plant material.
Instructor Bio: Paul Mairet is a beginning farmer and manager of Nine Hazels Farm, a hybrid hazelnut farm and nursery in Lake City, MN. He brings a background in arts and education and recent years of mentorship from hazelnut farmers, researchers, and artisans to his work.
