The Country’s First Mushroom Casket Was Buried Last Week in Rural Maine

The country’s first mushroom casket was buried last week in rural Maine

Mark Ancker, 77, who lived in the Franklin County town of Industry, was laid to rest on his property.

First mushroom casket in the U.S. is used in Maine

In the back woods of Industry, Maine, an intimate gathering was held to honor the life of Mark Ancker. While the ceremony marked the end of Ancker’s 77 years on earth, it also marked the start of something new — the first time a mushroom casket has been used in the United States. After a long week of spring showers, the sun came out as Marsya Ancker-Robert laid her father to rest under some trees as a group of friends and family looked on. An ar…

New Era for Green Burials? Mycelium Caskets Make US Debut in Maine Funeral

3 Mins Read Mark C Ancker was laid to rest in a casket made from mushroom mycelium, a first for North America. It signals the growing popularity of green burials in the US. In rural Maine, artist Marsya Ancker buried her father Mark on a quiet hillside, in the midst of nature. But it wasn’t just the tall trees that were green – it was the entire funeral. Ancker chose to lay her father to rest in a planet-friendly casket made from mycelium, the r…