Birds, Musings
Compost!
During our Samhain ritual, we honored the Cailleach, whose work encompasses death and decay. She is the hag of winter and the face of the goddess who is the crone. Many traditions have Holy Ones who embody this.
Here at Crossing Hedgerows Farm, we recently built a new chicken coop. One of the reasons I wanted to do this, was so we could have a dirt floor and keep a compost pile going inside the coop for the chickens to pick through. This would allow for their waste to break down in a healthy way, and bring lots of bugs and worms into the coop throughout the winter for the chickens to eat. And eventually it would create broken down compost/soil for us to use on our plantings.
The old coop that was our main one, was a shed with a concrete pad which didn’t work for inside composting. Now, in our new coop, I have started the pile (which is simply straw added to their droppings), and every morning I go out and turn it to allow it to break down without going anaerobic. Without air, pathogens are created and it’s stinky too! The chickens have caught on, and now run over as I turn the compost so they can find some tasty treats.
Before our new coop, in the shed/coop we did have straw added to the floor and we periodically raked it and the droppings out into a compost pile outside. This has created lots of wonderful finished compost for us to use on our plantings. The last picture is the final raking out of the shed which we will move with our tractor into a place where it can break down over the winter and provide some beautiful soil for us to use in the spring.
The ongoing cycle of death and rebirth is an alchemy I feel privileged to work with on a daily basis.
Blessings to you all 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.
