Friend to Fern

I cannot express enough gratitude for Pippa and David, of Friend To Fern, and the sacred service they provide my family. When our beloved kitty, Gracie, passed away, they offered a beautiful and compassionate alternative to cremation through their Terramation process. Their uniquely engineered, accelerated compost system, which is set on a serene organic farm on Sauvie Island near Portland OR, was both dignified and deeply respectful. From the very first moment, Pippa and David held me and my grief with warmth, tenderness, and such attentive care. Every step was handled with the utmost professionalism, reverence, and honor for Gracie’s body. What could have been an unbearably painful experience was transformed into something healing, natural, and meaningful. Their support made me feel truly seen and comforted, and I will forever carry gratitude for the way they honored Gracie’s life and memory. I could not recommend Friend To Fern and the Terramation process highly enough. Absolutely a 5-star business.

Saying a final goodbye to Tycho, my beloved four-legged companion, was an overwhelming process. His death was sudden, and while he had been sick this was an unexpected turn of events. I wanted a way to honor his legacy that embraced our time spent together outdoors, hiking and camping in the Pacific Northwest. Friend to Fern provided an opportunity for Tycho to return to the earth and complete his final journey in the most meaningful way I could imagine. Pippa was compassionate, and fantastic at helping me navigate the process, allowing me the space and time I needed to say my final goodbyes. I travelled to the Croft Farm and Friend to Fern from Olympia, WA to take advantage of this most amazing transformation process. Tycho’s compost is now nourishing a new grove of giant sequoia trees on our property which will benefit our local wildlife and provide a legacy for us to enjoy. I cannot recommend this highly enough to anyone seeking an alternative to traditional cremation for a beloved pet.

We are so glad to have found Friend to Fern! From first contact through the whole process Pippa was amazing. So kind, considerate and understanding. The whole experience was one of ease and graciousness. This way of treating my best friend's remains seems so much more in line with who she was than sterilization by flame or washing her down the drain, our other options. This is gentle, nothing is lost and all of her returns to us as living matter completing the circle of life. We will be using her new form as compost to nourish bulbs and plants in our house and yard. We get to have a living reminder of her every day. Beautiful. Thank you!

Once I found out Friend to Fern existed, I couldn’t imagine saying goodbye to my dog Tank in any other way. The thought of him resting on a beautiful farm, on an island we had explored together, made losing him just a tiny bit easier. Pippa made the whole process easy and peaceful. Despite a schedule change due to my pup having a sudden downturn, she really went above and beyond to accommodate us. I was grateful to drive Tank myself to his resting place, and to have the opportunity to do some of the work of his burial. We were given space and time to honor him how we chose, and I felt comfortable leaving him in Pippa’s care. We then spent some time on the island as we processed this huge change to our lives. I am happy I will get Tank’s remains back soon, but I am also glad some part of him will always be resting on Sauvie Island, and that I can always visit him there during days at the beach, birdwatching, or picking up native plants at the neighboring farm. Thank you, Pippa and Friend to Fern, for allowing me this peace.

What a Beautiful process and an opportunity to have a beloved pet companion with one always. Philippa was kind and understanding and exceedingly gentle in placing my little dog in her earthen cradle. I highly recommend this process and Philippa as well as her farm to anyone who needs to say goodbye to their furry companion.