Flora
Aronia, the Super Berries
Ok, I won’t go into all the health benefits of aronia berries, but this is another of the perennials we planted that has been incredibly productive. As you can see in the photos, the aronia bushes were only a couple of inches tall when we planted them in 2014, and are now five or six feet tall. Even the very first year, they had started producing berries.
Over the years, we’ve made lots of aronia crumble to share at potlucks, and it was one of the fruits in the offerings we made at our Lughnasadh/Lammas celebration. It’s a fruit that can be used in the same way as blueberries, for baking, smoothies, etc. It’s also really easy to harvest as the berries grow in clumps, so you can simply pick them by fistfuls off the bush. And the blossoms are wonderful for the pollinator insects.
We are excited to be able to build a community around the principles of creating abundance for all the inhabitants of the land, both human and nonhuman alike.
Sending you many blessings from the Sanctuary,
Jean
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Written by : Jean Cavanaugh
Jean Cavanaugh is the founder and steward of Crossing Hedgerows Sanctuary, established in 2019 as a living, learning community devoted to reconnecting people with the wisdom of nature, the sacred order of creation, and the presence of Christ within all life. Her work brings together spiritual formation, ecological stewardship, ancestral wisdom, and hands-on community practice.
Through years of practical work on the land, study of the Mysteries, and the healing of her own severe health challenges through natural methods, Jean has come to recognize God’s hand at work throughout creation. Her teachings, rooted in the Mystery School tradition and Christian gnosis, explore how the patterns of heaven, earth, and the human body reveal the way back to divine presence, peace, and inner strength.
Jean leads with honesty, integrity, and a deeply welcoming spirit, inviting others to let go of inherited assumptions and rediscover truth through lived experience and embodied understanding. She works with all ages—from preschoolers to elders—offering programs and celebrations that emphasize direct engagement with nature, music, story, homesteading skills, and in-person community.
She and her family live at the 21-acre Crossing Hedgerows Sanctuary, where daily life reflects a commitment to simplicity, beauty, and harmony with the land. The sanctuary includes gardens, woodland trails, a seasonal creek, gathering circles, and spaces designed to nourish both people and wildlife. Jean is especially passionate about creating environments that are grounding, beautiful, and spiritually restorative.
Through her writing and teaching, Jean encourages others to know themselves, know creation, and recognize Christ as the living truth present within and around us—always inviting a return to love, beauty, and the sacred order of life.
