The Internal Revenue Service, which investigated the case, may pursue the additional money in a civil trial. Trappist Monks Plan to Sell Caskets Directly to Public New Melleray Abbey, Dubuque, Iowa, home to contemplative Trappist monks for more than 150 years, plans to sell their line of handcrafted wooden caskets to the public. Launched 14 months ago to offset lagging farm profits, Trappist Caskets were sold to funeral homes and distributors. Now, the monks want to expand their enterprise and open their doors to the public. The caskets are handmade by monks at the abbey, located about 10 miles outside of Dubuque.
Raw materials come from the abbey's forest, the second largest privately owned forest in the state.
For every tree harvested for casket use, another 100 are planted. They expect to produce 300 caskets this year. The monks have been making simple caskets for members of their community since the abbey was founded in 1849. Reproduction in whole or part without permission is prohibited.