Flora, News
A Little Peek
Lily in the wildflower garden
Hello friends! I made this video yesterday to give you a little peek at how things are looking here at the Sanctuary right now.
And I want to give a big thank you to Alissa for coming out to the work day on Saturday! In the middle of the video you can see an area in the hoophouse that she and I did a lot of cleaning out and weeding to give us some space for inside meetups. We also had a lovely picnic lunch together afterwards. Then Dan and I were able to finish cleaning out the rest of that area yesterday. The pictures of the crops in the video are in the back of the hoophouse where we had some of our events last year, and we will be planting more fall produce in there. And the sweet hen at the end of the video is named Cindy. 💕 She helped provide the eggs for the egg salad I made for our luncheon.
I also want to give a big thank you to Doug for writing a testimonial for Crossing Hedgerows Sanctuary! It is immensely appreciated, and I would like to share it with you all. If anyone else would like to send one along, I would be super grateful!
“I have been a member of the Crossing Hedgerows community since 2018. I have volunteered there, was a board member for a number of years, and have both attended and hosted events at Crossing Hedgerows. It is an absolutely beautiful space that has been restored under the management of the Cavanaugh family from what used to be a standard barren farm landscape into a wild and wondrous sanctuary of native plants and species that is a thriving reminder of what most of Southeastern Michigan once was.
When I have hosted events there, Jean Cavanaugh has been attentive, gracious, and helpful in making sure that those events take place as planned without any difficulties. When I have attended events and ceremonies that Jean herself has hosted, she has been organized, purposeful, and thorough in her preparations to ensure that those events go as smoothly as circumstances and weather permits.
Crossing Hedgerows is a wonderful place to gather, and the people that make up the community are just as amazing. I heartily recommend considering attending events that Jean plans, as well as working with her to host your own events in that beautiful and sacred space.”
Douglas Pierce
And last but not least, thank YOU all for being here and supporting us with your attention and monetary contributions. We appreciate it so much!
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.
