Events & Celebrations
Skills and Friendship Day, Hazelnuts, and more!
For our Skills and Friendship Day last week, the focus was on clearing around one of our American Hazelnut bushes to give it a bit more space. It had been getting closed in on by False Indigo Bush and Sunchokes, both of which are native perennials which we planted along with the hazelnut, but were beginning to crowd it out a bit too much.
Sarenth cutting False Indigo Bush. It is a spreading shrub which has done really well after being planted around the farm, and the ones that are cut always grow back easily. As a nitrogen fixing plant, it releases nitrogen from its roots when cut, helping to fertilize surrounding plants. Emily is pulling out Sunchoke stalks. Like False Indigo, Sunchokes also spread aggressively so it is not a problem to pull them out.
Sarenth bringing sunchoke stalks to Brennah who is sorting through them to pull off the tubers at the bottom for eating. To the right of Sarenth, you can see the False Indigo branches he was cutting. These we are saving for possibly using to make a fence.
Some of the sunchoke tubers.
Sunchokes can be eaten raw, or cooked like potatoes. They have a nutty flavor.
Jean directing the day’s activities.
Our most recent rescue cat (who showed up on our doorstep a couple of weeks ago). He was happy to keep us company and help supervise
The lighter colored clump of woody shrub branches in the center is the hazelnut we were clearing around.
American Hazelnuts (Corylus americana) are an immense benefit to ecosystems. One of my favorite sources for information about native plants is Indigenous Landscapes who generously posts lots of great information on their Facebook page, and even index it on their website to easily find it. https://indigescapes.com/post-index So I am sharing links to some of their posts on Hazelnuts, False Indigo Bush, and Sunchokes. Hopefully you can still see them even if you’re not on Facebook.
Click through the four different picture collages to see the ecological activity of American Hazelnuts: https://www.facebook.com/Indigenouslandscapes/posts/2274240999281553
False Indigo Bush: https://www.facebook.com/Indigenouslandscapes/posts/4184030334969267
Sunchokes and Pasture Thistle: https://www.facebook.com/Indigenouslandscapes/posts/pfbid02G1VVE7dEbHSznbMDYShr2Z1pa3kdgtPcwq7TGiwtqonAK6QYn5e4Vsx9rUqT3APGl
Thank you for your continued support as we put our ethics into practice, caring for the land and each other. ❤️
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.
