Old School Skills: Organic farming in Carver

Donna Blischke wakes to the sound of a rooster crowing.
Outside, hens flap their wings to shake off the night's sleep.
The goats, Krista and Fern, toss their heads at one another, and blow steam out of their nostrils. "The girls," as they are called, rise from the warm hay, their spindly legs unfolding as they stand. This is how each day begins at Web of Life farm in Carver.
Blischke rolls out of bed, dresses and goes out the door. She first feeds the hens, tossing pans full of grain and corn across the barnyard. The hens peck at the kernels, while the goats prance around them, trying to grab a share.
While the hens eat, Blischke collects eggs from 25 nests and places them in a basket for her family's morning meal. Blischke has been living the life of a farmer for the past 13 years. Before that, she commuted to Boston where she worked as an administrator for the federal Women, Infants and Children program that helps low-income families obtain milk and other nutritious foods.
After her first child was born in 1986 she traded her suit, blouse and high heels, for jeans, a tractor and braids. Money was tight then, and it is now, but the tradeoff is that her children Travis, 21, and Stephanie, 14, grew up surrounded by the bounty nature provides.
The farm has expanded from producing just fruits and vegetables to one that sells eggs, herbs, honey, home-made soap, goat's yarn, lip balm and hot pepper sauce.
Most of her products are certified organic.
She uses modern techniques and equipment, but the sweat and hard work is the same as it was more than a 100 years ago when the South Shore boasted hundreds of farms. Today, there are only a handful, and most only grow produce. Profits are rare, and every year is a struggle, Blischke says, as she stops hoeing a row of potatoes to watch two birds whiz by overhead.
"I'll never go back to working in an office," she says. "You can't see a Baltimore Oriole or a Blue Herring sitting in an office."

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[patriotledger]

We welcome your comments on our videos. Posts will be removed if they are in bad taste or contain obscenities, but they will not be edited. Thanks for your interest in our site.

[darmokandgalad]

Great video, thanks

[fudgedogbannana]

Nice going old girl, happy farming.

[greenecorevolution]

nice video, thanks for sharing . heres a 3D plan view of our latest mobile chicken coop as close to free range as you can get,,, see our channel for plans,,,,many thanks

[dionysusstar]

Beautiful farm. Thanks for posting.

[wangstaw]

very nice. Thank you and God bless. p.s organic farming is the way to go.

[droolinaround]

Great reporting, interesting story, would love to keep up with the farm and learn how the mushrooms do.

[namniekib]

Well done Donna!

[biggiekosh]

keep it up. farm looks great

[07tkrules]

Nice driving Donna!!