Natural Path Sanctuary

Natural Path Sanctuary naturalpathsanctuary.org Natural Path Sanctuary is a nature preserve burial ground also known as a green cemetery, located near Madison, Wisconsin.

The Natural Path Sanctuary was opened in June 2011 as a nature preserve burial ground/cemetery with an educational component that is focused on promoting sustainable end-of-life care choices and burial practices. This burial ground offers natural burial practices as an alternative to modern-day burials, becoming the first green cemetery in Dane County and one of only a few in the country. It is th

e first cemetery in Dane County, Wisconsin that exclusively follows natural/green burial practices—no embalming, no vaults and uses biodegradable containers and shrouds. Set amidst 25 acres of woods and meadows on the Farley Center land, the Natural Path Sanctuary is a way to preserve the natural beauty in perpetuity. As you walk the wooded paths among those who are buried here, the fullness of life balances the sorrow of death. The quiet simplicity of a natural burial gives the phrase “from life to life” full meaning, as the body that sustained the individual now provides sustenance to the soil and plants above. Family/friends of the deceased and others in search of meditative quiet, are welcome to enjoy the peace, tranquility and beauty of the Natural Path Sanctuary burial grounds during daytime hours.

Native plants add beauty and provide important ecosystem services such as habitat for local wildlife and improved water ...
02/17/2026

Native plants add beauty and provide important ecosystem services such as habitat for local wildlife and improved water quality. Grow native plants or donate funds to purchase native plants for community and school projects.

Check out the Plant Dane Native Plant sale and consider donating to Natural Path Sanctuary to grow a native plant garden in the cemetery. This new Native Garden site will be an education and engagement resource, providing a regenerative, sustainable source of seeds for grave plantings.

It’s easy to donate! 1) https://ripple-effects.com/Order/Donate, 2) In the donation section, select “NATURAL PATH SANCTUARY" from the Project Drop-down menu, and 3) choose the number of plants you’d like to donate. Plants cost $3/each and must be ordered in multiples of 4. The deadline to donate to our project is March 17th.

Now accepting Plant Dane native plant orders! Consider donating to local school and community native garden projects around Dane County when placing your order. Learn more at: https://ripple-effects.com/Plant-Dane

Help Natural Path Sanctuary as we begin to grow a native plant garden in the cemetery. This new Native Garden site will ...
02/05/2026

Help Natural Path Sanctuary as we begin to grow a native plant garden in the cemetery. This new Native Garden site will be an education and engagement resource, providing a regenerative, sustainable source of seeds for grave plantings.

We invite you to donate plants to our Natural Path Sanctuary garden through the Plant Dane Native Plant Program. It’s easy! 1) https://ripple-effects.com/Order/Donate, 2) In the donation section, select “NATURAL PATH SANCTUARY" from the Project Drop-down menu, and 3) choose the number of plants you’d like to donate. Plants cost $3/each and must be ordered in multiples of 4. The deadline to donate to our project is March 17th. Thanks for helping to make our garden a reality!

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01/21/2026

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​ Mary Woodsen, journalist, conservation burial pioneer, and friend, died November 4, 2025, at age 77. The following is a remembrance of this gentle soul, her contribution to the spread of natural...

Lee Webster is one of the top experts in the field of Green Burial practices. She is the author of many valuable resourc...
01/02/2026

Lee Webster is one of the top experts in the field of Green Burial practices. She is the author of many valuable resources on this topic and I highly commend her committment to helping to provide accurate and important information.
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The greenest choice turns out to be the simplest one.

12/15/2025

Looking Ahead: A Note from Shedd and Caroline Farley

After many meaningful years at the Farley Center, we wanted to share that we will both be retiring from our roles on December 31, 2025.

This chapter has meant so much to us and we hold deep gratitude for everyone who has stood with us along the way. What has made the Farley Center so special are the people — those who volunteered their time, donated resources, showed up for events, supported our programs and continually shared compassion and kindness. You created the warmth, community and sense of purpose that shaped our work.

Your belief in the values of peace, justice, and sustainability has helped the Farley Center grow into the vibrant and inspiring place it is today. Carrying forward the vision of Linda and Gene — and their belief that community can create lasting change — has guided us every day. We have done our best to honor that legacy through programs, partnerships, events and caring for the land.

As we prepare to step into retirement, our hearts are full. We look forward to seeing how the Farley Center continues to progress, evolve and flourish in the years ahead — rooted in Linda and Gene’s vision and strengthened by the remarkable community that surrounds it.

Thank you for the memories, the collaboration and the many moments of joy and connection. We will always hold this place, and all of you, close.

With deep appreciation,
Shedd and Caroline Farley

Photo credit to Barry Sherbeck

12/13/2025

Every first Monday of the month, the staff meets at noon to review current work, upcoming plans and address questions or concerns. These meetings have followed a steady rhythm throughout the year, including a simple tradition of sharing lunch together.

Closing out 2025 with the staff doing the day-to-day work of caring for the land, the programs and the community.

Standing: Seth Riley- Farley Center Farm Manager
Shedd Farley - Farley Center Director
Caroline Tu Farley - Farley Center Program Director
Sitting: Dustin Duve - Natural Path Sanctuary Director
Maggie Balistreri - Natural Path Sanctuary Cemetery Asst.
Lindsey Lund - Farley Center Office Manager

12/1/25

12/13/2025
12/13/2025
12/13/2025

Our next Embracing End of Life free monthly online event is happening Thursday, December 18th from 6-8pm PST. Be sure to register using the link in our bio or on our website.

Njeri Njuhigu is a Grief & Happiness Strategist and Spiritual Psychologist who guides high-achieving women and family caregivers from silent exhaustion to soulful renewal.

Njeri shares her journey, revealing that grief is not a problem to be solved, but a sacred territory to be integrated.

For over a decade, Njeri navigated the profound journey of being a full-time caregiver to both of her parents while building a career as a television producer. In the space between these two demanding worlds, she discovered a silent epidemic: the deep grief and identity loss that high-achievers often carry alone. Her own journey through anticipatory loss became a spiritual awakening, revealing that grief is not a problem to be solved, but a sacred territory to be integrated.

This lived wisdom is the foundation of her work. She is the creator of the A.R.I.S.E. Method and the executive producer and host of the Soulful Renewal international series, offering a new paradigm that moves beyond “coping” and into true transformation. Through her platforms, Live Nlight and The CareBox Network, she provides a compassionate roadmap to help you:

Alchemize grief from a burden of silence into a source of purpose and power.

Restore the connection to yourself that caregiving and achievement often overshadow.

Cultivate a sense of wholeness and peace that honors your loss while expanding your capacity for life.

Known for her poetic insight and grounded wisdom, Njeri’s mission is to be your compassionate guide, helping you author a new chapter defined not by your loss, but by your resilience and capacity for joy.

Address

2299 Spring Rose Road
Verona, WI
53593

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+1 608-845-8724

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