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 ...
Sunrise on Dec. 21st at Crossing Hedgerows Sanctuary "The future enters into us, in order to transform us, long before it happens." ~ Rilke Brennah recently decided to plant a few seeds that are a variety which need to sit through the cold winter in the deep earth in order to germinate properly. "Some seeds, most often perennials from temperate climate, need 1-4 months of cold damp conditions before they will germinate. This is called ...
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 ...
The photo above was taken this summer of some native plants growing under the shade of autumn olive shrubs, which are considered invasive. There are two sassafras trees and some spicebush, both of which are highly valuable for wildlife and humans alike. These native forest plants popped up on their own in this spot, spread by natural processes.Autumn olives can be problematic when they take over areas that have generally been dominated by native thickets of shrubs ...
We had a lovely time foraging for materials for our Yule decorations this past Sunday. The photo is of the centerpiece that Alissa created from what she gathered. It's so beautiful! The Cavanaughs also have cut their Christmas tree, and I wanted to send a reminder that folks are still welcome to come out to gather materials or cut a tree. Even though they might be too tall, the bottoms can be cut off to still ...
https://youtube.com/shorts/Q5i-7VtLsro?feature=share A couple of our members donated their leftover pumpkins to us for the chickens this past week. As you can see in the video, the chickens appreciated it very much... to the point that some were not wanting to share! So I ended up bringing in another pumpkin for them, as there were plenty to go around! Each chicken area got some pumpkins, and they were all very happy indeed. Pumpkin seeds are a ...
November 20, 2022 at Crossing Hedgerows Sanctuary In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I would like to share with you the Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address which I first read in Robin Wall Kimmerer’s beloved book Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants . Greetings to the Natural World The People Today we have gathered and we see that the cycles of life continue. We have been given the duty to live in ...
December 4th, at 2pm (Juniper branches and berries)You are invited to come out and gather materials to bring home for making a Yule log centerpiece, or an evergreens centerpiece or wreath. We have plenty of logs in the woods, as well as Spruce, and Juniper sprigs with berries, and red Rose hips for decorations. (Rose hips)While you're out, you are also welcome to take a walk on the trails and enjoy the land. Or feel free to simply ...
Awaken to the mystery of being here and enter the quiet immensity of your own presence. Have joy and peace in the temple of your senses. Receive encouragement when new frontiers beckon. Respond to the call of your gift and the courage to follow its path... May your outer dignity mirror an inner dignity of soul. May you take time to celebrate the quiet miracles that seek no attention... May you experience each day as a ...
I will be out of town for the next couple of weeks with my family, but before we go, I am very excited to share with you this drawing I received yesterday from Garden Juju Collective. It is the first draft of our land design for the front field area. Behind the county drain (blue line marked at the top), is about ten acres of woods with trails throughout that is not shown on the drawing. This ...
Members of Crossing Hedgerows Sanctuary are always welcome to visit and make use of the various spaces we have available. Last week, we added the beginnings of a stone circle ritual space. Since it is my personal ritual space (which I would also like to share with you), I alone dedicated and consecrated it. It is located at the Cavanaugh homestead, and not on the part of the land that is specifically designated as sanctuary land. Once ...
A few recent pictures from around the Sanctuary... Warm wishes to each of you, Jean
(Aromatic Aster and Honeybee ~ October 2022) Last week, Dan, Brennah, and I met with Bridget and Charlie of Garden Juju Collective to receive an update on their progress with creating the design for the Sanctuary land. They are working on taking the plan that we have communicated to them and putting the design on paper using aerial photos, topographical maps, and making multiple visits to observe what's been happening on the land. They are currently still ...
It's that time of year when many of us are feeling closer than usual to our ancestors and sensing their presence. And often when we send goo It's that time of year when many of us are feeling closer than usual to our ancestors and sensing their presence. And often when we send good wishes to those who have passed, we give them a blessing to "Rest In Peace". I would like to invite us to consider, ...
As September draws to a close, we are grateful to everyone who has continued to contribute to our community in all the various ways throughout the year. Heading into October, we are seeing a definite shift towards the darker days of the season here at Crossing Hedgerows, along with the signs and messages that often accompany that.These three crows greeted me early one morning, and as I greeted them in return, one flew down right past me, ...
Ground cherries are a crop that has done well for us over the years. Physalis pruinosa is in the nightshade family and is related to tomatoes, potatoes, tomatillos, peppers, and such (but not cherries!). Like tomatillos, they have a papery husk on them. However, ground cherries are sweet, with a flavor similar to pineapple or strawberry. Ground cherries are native to the Americas. "Estimates for the earliest use of Physalis for human consumption range from 900BCE to 5000BCE. ...