Frequently Asked Questions

“Natural” or “Green” Burial, which has been practiced since the beginning of time, is when a body is naturally returned to Earth to rejoin the Cycle of Life. In preparation for a natural burial, the body is gently washed, then carefully cocooned in an earth-friendly shroud or quilt. They can be placed in a biodegradable woven or wooden container. A deeply meaningful ceremony may be had as the Loved One is being laid to rest. Embalming, hardwood or metal caskets, concrete vaults, liners, upright granite monuments, statues, niches, mausoleums, and the like are invasive to the human body, harmful to Earth’s ecosystem, and are opposite to natural burial.

The Funeral Home, the Cemetery, the Cemetery Services Company and the Grave marker. Countryside can make recommendations and guide you every step of the way.

One can be buried in anything that is biodegradable and earth-friendly. This includes shrouds or wraps of cotton, linen, or wool. A person can even be dressed, as long as any non-biodegradable components have been removed. Caskets, containers, or carriers may be made of untreated pine, wicker, seagrass, bamboo, or even heavy-duty cardboard. Only natural materials (no metals, plastic, or synthetic jewelry) may be buried with the Loved One.

Planting a tree on top of a grave is not possible for a family because trees require several years of care and frequent watering to establish. We have planted many at Countryside, including 21 thriving young Live Oaks and 18 mature Crape Myrtles. All our trees are cared for by a certified arborist. People can choose the exact tree they’d like to be buried next to, and watch it grow over the years.

All graves at Countryside are marked with flat, natural stones engraved with names, dates, sentiments, and/or graphics. We offer the beautiful, custom-designed, carved natural stones you can see here. 

Texas law requires that the top of a burial container be at least 1.5 to 2 feet below ground level. We bury at approximately 3 feet deep and leave a mound of Earth on the surface that dissipates over time as the body returns to Earth. This depth allows the living microbes in the soil to promote a natural return. Also, it provides a biological filter that prevents wildlife from disturbing the site.

Unembalmed bodies do not pollute the ground. They decompose naturally and become an integral part of the Circle of Life. There are not enough artificial chemicals in a human body to pollute the soil.  The soil is a natural filter, preventing any chemicals from getting into the groundwater or underlying soil.  We lose more toxic chemicals naturally from our bodies during our daily living than the whole body does will while decomposing.

Texas law requires that a body be buried, cremated, or refrigerated within 24 hours of death. When the body will be kept at home for several days for a Home Funeral, dry ice or gel packs can keep a body properly cooled between 35° F and 40° F.

A Home Funeral is a deeply intimate process whereas a grieving family takes charge of caring for a body after death, rather than using a Funeral Home. Families may wash, dress and lay the deceased in Honor for Visitation at home for 2–3 days. The family can even transport the body to the cemetery if desired. For families new to the process, the guidance of a Home Funeral Guide or Funeral Director is recommended. The Death Certificate must be filed by a Funeral Director.

Our single plots, which can accommodate either a full burial or up to 2 urns, start at $1625. A plot in our Urn Section accommodates 1 urn and is $525. Every burial, whether it be a grave or an urn, must have a grave marker. Our markers start at $539. Our preferred cemetery services provider charges $700 to open and close graves. We charge $125 to open and close urn burials. Please see our general price list here. 

Absolutely. A burial plot can either be pre-purchased long before it’s needed or purchased “At-Need”. Pre-purchasing is always recommended because it eases the emotional and financial burden on your family and you’ll be buying it at the lowest price it will ever be. It also ensures that your personal and environmental wishes are honored. Reserving burial property in advance is an excellent idea. 

Natural burial services at Countryside are deeply meaningful experiences that are as unique as the person who has died. The Countryside staff guide and support every family as needed to ensure everything goes exactly as intended. Please visit our gallery to see what some families have done when laying their Loved One to rest.

We prohibit chemical embalming at Countryside Memorial Park. To comply with Texas’s “24-Hour Rule,” we coordinate with families and funeral directors to ensure timely burial or proper refrigeration before the service.

Absolutely! Personally selecting the final resting place(s) for yourself or someone you love always brings tremendous Peace of Mind. 

Viewings at your church and/or the Cemetery are possible for a natural burial, and should be discussed with the funeral director.

Countryside offers several options for urn burials. Families can choose between a small plot in our dedicated urn section or a full-size plot that can accommodate up to 2 urns. Please inquire about other options.

Many families and friends bring cut, natural flowers and greenery to honor their Loved One, often placing them before, during, and after the service. Any items left at the Cemetery must be biodegradable. Please visit our gallery to see what some families have done when laying their loved one’s body to rest. 

Natural flowers and greenery are perfect to leave for Remembrance. You can sow wildflower seed if you wish, or set up lawn chairs, bring garden tools, spread mulch, and even plant and tend small flowering plants and herbs. Items left at the Cemetery must be organic and naturally biodegradable. Plastic, resin, glass, paper, silk flower petals, foam, wire, rubber bands, mylar, ceramic, confetti, vases, balloons, streamers, and such are not allowed. Please do not place or hang anything in the trees.

Countryside is a family owned 1.5-acre natural burial cemetery located on the family’s 86-acre ranch. It is serene and peaceful, and operated with great care by the family. The grounds are protected and kept natural by the seasons, with the grass and plants mowed and tended as needed. It is resplendent with wildflowers in the spring. The Cemetery and ranch are protected by an automatic, locking gate that opens at 9 and closes at 5.

Countryside welcomes people of all religions and spiritual beliefs who practice the principles of love, peace, and equality.

Visitors are 100% responsible for their own safety and well-being during their visit. Neither Countryside Memorial Park nor its owners will be held legally responsible for any accident that might occur at the Cemetery. 

Here are some basic rules and things to know when visiting the park:

• The Cemetery is on a private, working ranch. Please don’t walk or drive on the property or approach the livestock.
• Countryside has no restrooms, so you may wish to top somewhere prior to arriving.
• Visitors are advised to wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes, dress for the weather, bring water, and take care of themselves.
• Please park only in the designated area in front of the Cemetery.
• Be aware that there are wildlife and insects at the Cemetery, including butterflies, ducks, ants, hawks, hummingbirds, gophers, wild turkey, spiders, mosquitoes, and snakes. There are often stickers and the ground is uneven.
• The Cemetery is a Sacred Place. Please be respectful of the graves, the grave stones, and other visitors. 
• No smoking or consumption of alcohol or illegal drugs. 
• No fires. 
• An adult must supervise children at all times. 
• No pets are allowed except with permission of the cemetery staff and only if they are either carried or on a leash.

Natural burial is legal in Texas and in most states. Countryside Memorial Park allows only natural burial and complies with all state health and safety regulations while maintaining the highest ecological standards. Our cemetery records are safely kept both in-office and digitally.

It is legal to be buried on your own land in Texas. Still, it must be carefully considered.

You’ll need to follow local zoning rules, and a surveyed map/plat of the burial site must be filed with the county clerk. Having a burial on your land can significantly complicate or even prevent a future sale. Not many want to buy property with graves on it. Under Texas Health and Safety Code §711.041, anyone has the legal right to come onto your property to visit and/or maintain that grave, because the person(s) buried there may be a relative. The general public also has the right to visit “private burial grounds,” which means you effectively lose total privacy on that part of your land forever. You can control when they visit by posting daily visiting hours and installing an automatic gate. Once a body is buried and the land is “dedicated” as a cemetery, that portion of the land is legally protected. You cannot build, drill for oil, or pasture livestock on a dedicated cemetery site. Removing a cemetery designation in Texas is notoriously difficult and usually requires a district court order. The grave cannot be moved later without significant legal fees.

In all states, including Texas, it is legal to have your loved one’s body at home after they die. Texas does not require you to involve a licensed funeral director in making or carrying out final arrangements. However, Texas regulations require anyone who assumes custody of a body to file a “Report of Death” form with the local registrar of vital statistics within 24 hours of taking custody of the body.

In all states, including Texas, it is legal to have your loved one’s body at home after they die. Texas does not require you to involve a licensed funeral director in making or carrying out final arrangements. However, Texas regulations require anyone who assumes custody of a body to file a “Report of Death” form with the local registrar of vital statistics within 24 hours of taking custody of the body.

No. Caskets are not required by law in any state. A simple burial shroud is allowable if one wishes. Individual Cemeteries set the regulations in these matters.

The answer depends on the circumstance under which a person has died.
If the death was unexpected then you will need to contact the police, as the coroner may need to be involved.  If the person dies at home without hospice care, call 911, and have in hand a do-not-resuscitate document if it exists.  Without one, paramedics will generally start emergency procedures and, except where permitted to pronounce death, take the person to an emergency room for a doctor to make the declaration. If this was an expected death, for example the person has died in the home under hospice care or in a nursing home, then usually there is no one to immediately contact, other than family and friends and customarily a funeral home you are partnering with.