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Healing Land and Healing Spirits
Back in 2016, I attended a workshop with Dan Kittredge of the Bionutrient Food Association. This workshop is one of the many ways I’ve educated myself over the years in sustainable food production, with a focus on ecosystem regeneration. Part of the mission of the BFA is “educating growers in the logistics of creating healthier soil ecosystems.”
After taking the workshop and sending in soil samples, I was able to have Crop Services International (conveniently located near Kalamazoo, MI) put together a special mix of various minerals which were specifically suited to our soil. This was really helpful for beginning to repair the damaged soil where we had located our hoop house in a previously much cultivated field.
Since then, I’ve been a part of the SE Michigan Bionutrient Discussion Group which has an online Facebook group and has hosted meetups at local farms over the years. I didn’t get to many of these, but I did participate in a tour of the Ann Arbor Seed Company farm which was interesting and insightful.
I’m excited to have signed up for membership again this year with the National BFA and have also signed up for their online conference which will run through September. Usually it’s a long weekend and held in Massachusetts, but this year it is virtual and spread out with a lot of content to digest over a long period of time. This has made it much more accessible for me.
If you are interested in learning more about the Bionutrient Food Association and their conference, you can find them here: https://bionutrient.org/site/history
Whether you like to grow food, or whether you like to eat it, healthy ecosystems are good for all!
Much love from Crossing Hedgerows Farm and 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.
