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Martha Stewart Says She Plans to Be Composted, Hopes to Rest in Her Farm's Pet Cemetery

Her on-air remarks highlight a growing interest in terramation, a legal option in 13 states that converts remains into soil through a regulated process.

Overview

  • Stewart told the QVC+/HSN+ podcast 50+ & Unfiltered that she rejects traditional coffins and wants her remains treated like her horses, wrapped in linen and placed in the pet cemetery on her Katonah, N.Y., farm.
  • When asked whether burial on her own property would be allowed, she said she was unsure but argued it would not hurt anyone.
  • Human composting, also called terramation, typically uses a vessel with organic material to turn a body into 1–2 cubic yards of soil in about two months, with services reported around $7,000.
  • Washington first legalized the practice in 2019, California approved it to begin by 2027, and an NBC affiliate reports a total of 13 states now permit it.
  • Interest in greener end-of-life options is rising, according to NFDA survey data, even as some religious groups, including the California Catholic Conference, object to the practice.