Cremation Ashes: Everything You Need To Know

Cremation Ashes: Everything You Need To Know

There are a lot of decisions that need to be made when a loved one passes away. If cremation was the method of final disposition, then you, a next-of-kin, or a person named in an advance directive will likely receive the person’s cremated ashes, also known as cremains.

If you’ve never been through this process before, receiving these ashes may bring up a variety of questions. In this article, Farmstead Scattering Garden will answer the most frequently asked questions regarding cremation ashes.

What is cremation?

Cremation is a method of final disposition in which a deceased person’s remains are burned until they’re reduced to bone fragments and ashes. This process often occurs in a specialized furnace called a retort furnace. Interestingly, many eastern countries still follow ancient traditions in which the cremation process occurs on an open-air pyre.

How does cremation work?

Cremation involves placing the deceased person’s remains in a retort furnace at a crematorium (a specialized building for cremation) where the temperatures reach around 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit. This extreme heat burns away the body until only inorganic bone material remains. A crematory technician then grinds this material into powder.

What do human ashes look like?

Human ashes (and pet ashes, too) look like a mix of sand and fine gravel. Unlike wood ash, human cremains are coarse and gritty rather than soft and velvety. The color of the ash ranges from white to dark gray, depending on the temperature of the furnace and the minerals in the person’s body. While the specific amount is always different, a deceased person typically produces around five pounds of cremains.

Planting Bush

Are human ashes good for plants?

Due to their high pH and sodium content, cremation ashes aren’t ideal for plants despite having some useful nutrients such as calcium and phosphorus. When considering a memorial planting, you’ll want to mix ashes thoroughly with plenty of compost and nutrient-rich soil to keep the plant healthy.

How much does cremation cost?

Cremation without a formal funeral service costs between $750 and $3,000. From there, memorial services, urn selection, and other experiences can increase the price significantly.

What do I do with cremation ashes?

Cremation ashes give you a variety of ways to memorialize your loved one, be it a person or pet. Because cremation is also significantly more affordable than a burial, it provides you with more opportunities to invest in a meaningful ceremony that aligns with your vision and the deceased’s wishes. If you’re in the process of determining what to do with cremation ashes, consider:

1. Ash Scattering Ceremonies

Scattering ashes is a moving and meaningful way to eulogize and honor a person or pet’s life. When determining what to do with your loved one’s cremains, consider ash scattering ceremonies, such as:

  • Aerial/Sky Ceremony: releasing a loved one’s ashes from an aircraft or via fireworks.
  • Casting Ceremony: tossing ashes into the air as a means of letting go and freeing the spirit in a meaningful location.
  • Living Memorial Planting: Mixing ashes with soil to grow a tree, flower, or plant.
  • Raking Ceremony: scattering ashes into soil or sand and blending them into the earth to create a farewell that symbolizes returning to nature.
  • Trenching Ceremony: digging a small trench or circular groove in the ground, placing the ashes inside, and covering them, ensuring the remains rest together and merge with the earth.
  • Water Ceremony: releasing ashes into a body of water to represent the continuous flow of life and a peaceful return to nature.

2. Making Jewelry From Ashes

One relatively new way people have been using cremation ashes is by making them into jewelry. Specialized cremation/memorial jewelers make these keepsakes by incorporating small amounts of cremation ashes into various materials, such as glass, resin, or precious metals.

They can also turn ashes into diamonds by extracting carbon from them, refining them, and using specialized equipment to recreate the high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) conditions under which natural diamonds form. This process often takes anywhere from three months to a year.

While this is a unique way to create a precious keepsake, some people are uncomfortable separating, processing, and repurposing cremation ashes. For instance, certain Christian denominations, such as Catholicism, have guidelines advising that you keep a loved one's cremated remains together.

3. Traditional Memorialization

Perhaps the most common of all the ash scattering ideas is the traditional memorial. During this ceremony, the ashes are buried in a cemetery plot or placed in a columbarium, a structure that houses cremated remains. This option provides a permanent place for remembrance, making it ideal for families that value having a physical site to visit.

Sunset over field

Mail-In Ash Scattering Services

Farmstead Scattering Garden offers mail-in ash scattering services, perfect for those looking to commemorate a loved one’s life but unsure of what to do with the cremation ashes. Whether you choose to lay them to rest in the forest's lush bed of wildflowers, you can craft a ceremony that matches your loved one’s wishes. Learn more by visiting our service page.

Back to blog

Leave a comment

Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.