A new native plant that has appeared at the Sanctuary this year is the Blue Flag Iris. It grows in wet areas, often along the edges of water. So unsurprisingly it has begun growing along the edge of the creek bed, not far from the beautiful buttonbush, another amazing plant which I will highlight in a later post.Blue Flag Iris provides nectar for native pollinators, and is also forage for muskrats. It likewise attracts hummingbirds, which we already ...
Last week's gathering was a magical time coming together with old friends and new. We didn't have a chance to take pictures during the event, but wanted to share a few of the photos that Brennah has taken this spring in the woods, as well as photos that I took of the stones that were collected and placed into the stone circle as offerings. Trilliums with mossy log Wild Geraniums (also known ...
Sunday, May 21st at 3pmEntering the sanctuary woods right now is like stepping into a fairyland. The forest floor is carpeted with purple and white spring ephemerals. Timing a walk to catch this at the optimal time is hard to do very far in advance, so we wanted to put out the call just at the right time (which is now!) before they all disappear. We invite you to join us for a guided walk by Jean and ...
As noted in the last post, we had a bit of a hiccup at the beginning of the Maypole Dance, which we did manage to work out. We hope you enjoy this little snippet of gaiety! https://youtube.com/shorts/B1FF7jU4F7M?feature=share
By Jean Cavanaugh, President, Crossing Hedgerows Sanctuary Photos by Douglas S. Pierce, Board Member of Crossing Hedgerows Sanctuary Doug, the photographer We had a wonderful Beltane celebration again this year, with the Maypole once again being a big highlight. There is always so much laughter and fun as we dance! A comment from one of the young adults in the group was something along the lines of... "I would've thought it was ...
For our work day last week, we did some clean-up in an area of the woods where the previous owners seemed to have had a dump. Though the Cavanaughs have been pulling trash out of that area continuously since moving to the property, it has been a huge project. And it mainly needs to be done in the early spring, after the snow melts, but before everything gets covered by the understory plant growth. So it was ...
While we were pulling out some trash (old tires and such, left by the previous residents) from the woods on our work day this week, there was a particular plant whose thorns wanted to grab at us as we passed by it. This is one of the reasons why we have trails, because these shrubs can make it nearly impossible to pass through certain areas. However, they are another of our beloved native plants that grow in ...
During the recent ice storm we lost a large limb from one of our white cedar trees. We would like to offer to any of our members here on Patreon, at any level, the opportunity to take some of the cedar greenery for making smoke bundles. Simply get in touch to arrange a time to pick up your cedar greenery. We have plenty to go around so that everyone can have a big bunch. (The branches and ...
By Sarenth Óðinsson, Board Member of Crossing Hedgerows The world is alive. This is especially easy to know at Crossing Hedgerows. You can feel life pulsing beneath your feet, even in the midst of Winter. There is life. Perennial food crops and flowers around the farm are coming back to life, with shoots beginning to pop up, and fruit blossoms preparing to open. The greenhouse is thriving with green interspersed with the decay of the last hops ...
I thought you all might like to see a picture of how wet it gets in the spring around here. This was as close as I could get to the creek yesterday. Some of the recent days previous to yesterday, I couldn't even get within sight of the creek. But did you know that there are some native plants and animals that require a habitat of regular flooding in order to survive? We have identified ...
Spring is in the air as the sanctuary prepares for the sun to rise. I also love how the veins of the stones in the circle are somehow glowing in the dim light. https://youtube.com/shorts/zF9Bx1as3Ac Blessed Be, Jean
"What beauty is in the world that I never noticed before?" -Rick Rubin Following is another cross post from the Patreon page of Brennah Cavanaugh Photography. Last spring I was fascinated by these tiny just-emerged oak leaves I found on the many oak saplings along the north edge of the woods. To me they looked like tiny felt crafts. They were actually tiny enough to be tricky to photograph. Bright red, fuzzy leaves don’t seem to ...
What makes a place sacred? I truly believe that when a place is visited over and over again with reverence, and when people walk the same paths to visit special sites, where the spirits of the land are recognized and offerings are made, then that place becomes more and more sacred over time. There is an energy that resides there, of a place that has had healing... and of a place that is seen and known in ...
Time to grab your rubber boots! This time of year there is typically a lot of flooding at the Sanctuary. The water can recede fairly quickly, but it's good to be aware that there can be days that if you visit, you will need some really good waterproof footwear. (This morning heading out to the hoophouse.)(This afternoon - you can see the May Pole at the back right.)(Another view from this afternoon - and in case you are ...
"My work is loving the world.Here the sunflowers, there the hummingbird –equal seekers of sweetness.Here the quickening yeast; there the blue plums.Here the clam deep in the speckled sand.Are my boots old? Is my coat torn?Am I no longer young and still not half-perfect? Let mekeep my mind on what matters,which is my work,which is mostly standing still and learning to be astonished.The phoebe, the delphinium.The sheep in the pasture, and the pasture.Which is mostly rejoicing, since ...
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.) https://youtube.com/shorts/pzDd4yifMWQ?feature=share 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 ...
We have been officially accepted into the Botanical Sanctuary Network of the United Plant Savers organization! Because of the wide variety of rare and endangered medicinal plants we harbor at Crossing Hedgerows Sanctuary and Farm, our application was approved!Following is some of what I wrote in the application, as well as including photos of our land and descriptions of our projects. I purposely listed plants that are included in their Species At-Risk List.We have a small three ...
On Monday I had the opportunity to speak at a public meeting of County Drain Commissioners for Wayne, Monroe, and Washtenaw counties regarding the clearing of the North Branch of the Swan Creek. This is the creek which runs through the Sanctuary land, eventually emptying into Lake Erie. The creek runs through these three counties, and the commissioners were asking for public comment from the land owners whose properties would be affected by a proposal to clear ...
Have you been wondering how you might go about creating your own gatherings or events at the Sanctuary? Here are a few guidelines that might be helpful:*All events must be approved and fit the mission of Crossing Hedgerows Sanctuary.* If you are a member and are planning a free event exclusively for the members of the Sanctuary, you may use the space at no cost to provide a service to our community. Simply submit your idea for approval, ...
Hello Everyone! Today is a cross post from Brennah Cavanaugh Photography of a bluebird at Crossing Hedgerows Sanctuary and Farm. We hope you Hello Everyone! Today is a cross post from Brennah Cavanaugh Photography of a bluebird at Crossing Hedgerows Sanctuary and Farm. We hope you enjoy it! Here is a series of photos I took shortly before I went to New Mexico of a bluebird doing acrobatics to reach some dogwood berries. This series is definitely ...