Birds, Fauna
Chickens in the Morning
Dawn in the chicken coop at Crossing Hedgerows Farm. 
The chickens are waking up, preening their feathers and wagging their tails.(The crowing is coming from the coop on the other side of the inner wooden wall which mirrors the coop I’m in.)
The outside walls have clear plastic panels on them over the screens to allow in maximum sunlight and warmth during the winter, like a greenhouse. In summer the panels can be removed to allow maximum airflow to reduce the heat.
The floor is a dirt floor with a deep mulch of straw added, which mixed with the chicken droppings creates a rich compost for garden beds. It also attracts worms and insects as it breaks down, giving the chickens the added benefit of scratching around and eating them.
I love sharing what we’ve learned about sustainable, regenerative ways of living with you all here. Does it resonate with your spiritual outlook? I think that it likely does, and is part of what makes us a community!
With Gratitude,
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.
