California resident Heidi Diestel believes that roasting golden crispy turkeys is not just a special ritual reserved for Thanksgiving Day.
“I never get tired of turkey because the way we raise them is both healthy and delicious,” she said.
Heidi is a fourth-generation farmer, and she mentioned that her great-great-grandfather Ernest raised turkeys in the 1920s and passed down the “family secrets” to her grandfather.
Her grandfather founded the Diestel Family Ranch in Sonora, California, in 1949, and her family began free-range turkey farming in 2010.
They practice regenerative agriculture, a farming method that mimics nature to make the soil more fertile and healthy. The farm abstains from using chemicals, emphasizing a natural approach to nourishing the soil.
“Regenerative agriculture is a cultivation method that, simply put, mimics nature’s ways to make the soil more fertile and healthy,” Heidi told The Epoch Times.
“The practices of regenerative agriculture include planting a variety of crops, reducing soil disturbance, avoiding harmful chemicals, etc., which can help soil retain more carbon, moisture, and nutrients.”
With the development of the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) movement, the overall recognition of regenerative agriculture has increased, as more Americans are curious about the origins of their food and how it is produced.
Heidi mentioned that their farm only raises turkeys, producing approximately 350,000 turkeys annually before Thanksgiving. She runs the farm with her brother Jason and her husband Jared, who serves as the farm’s president.
She noted that while Thanksgiving is the most important holiday for their farm, Christmas and Easter also tend to be busy times.
The Diestel Family Ranch processes turkeys for clients, including Whole Foods Markets across the country, West Coast retailers, and online consumers purchasing turkeys.
Turkeys raised in a purely natural way are priced higher than the common supermarket turkeys. A 16 to 18-pound free-range turkey from Diestel Farm is priced at $189.95. In comparison, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation, a 16-pound frozen supermarket turkey sells for an average of $21.50.
Heidi pointed out that their products are free of gluten, dairy, artificial ingredients, preservatives, fillers, hormones, antibiotics, growth stimulants, casein, carrageenan, phosphates, and monosodium glutamate. The farm does not use chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or other non-natural substances either.
The Diestel Family Ranch practices rotational grazing for their turkeys. They rotate the turkeys to different pastures, allowing the land to rest between grazing. Heidi said this method helps improve soil health, reduces the risk of overgrazing, and increases the farm’s biodiversity.
Moreover, in western Ohio, John Filbrun operates his 88-acre farm, “The Maker’s Meadow,” in a similar regenerative manner.
The Filbrun family farm, established in the late 1960s, transitioned to regenerative agriculture in 2002 after traditional farming methods depleted the soil nutrients.
John shared that through integrating five principles in their farming – reducing soil disturbance, maintaining soil cover, increasing plant diversity, and introducing livestock for animal diversity – they achieved the goal of soil restoration and rebuilding.
The Maker’s Meadow farm now offers 100% grass-fed beef and lamb, along with pasture-raised chicken, turkey, and pork supplemented with organic seeds and grains in their feed. They do not use pesticides or herbicides in their livestock farming.
John referred to turkeys as “land healers” as they delicately move across the land without compacting the soil.
“Turkeys have a natural curiosity; they continuously peck the soil, helping with aeration and nutrient distribution. They also reduce pest attacks, promote nutrient cycles, and add diversity to the farm’s ecosystem,” John explained to The Epoch Times.
John emphasized that the foundation of regenerative animal husbandry lies in “respect”: respect for animals, soil, ecosystems, and ultimately respect for consumers.
In the regenerative farming model, animals are not confined to small spaces or forced to consume grains their bodies cannot digest.
John explained that rotational grazing mimics wild herd migration patterns, benefiting soil improvement and allowing livestock to express their instincts freely.
The regenerative model also generates “prairie effects,” making grass grow taller, soil healthier, wildlife more diverse, and the farm ecosystem richer.
By introducing other animals on 2,000 acres of land, the Diestel Family Ranch significantly enhances the effectiveness of their rotational grazing system.
“We collaborate with farmers who have cows, goats, and sheep,” Heidi explained.
“Each animal interacts with the soil, influencing the grazing methods. We need all animals to work the land, fertilizing it with their manure.”
Heidi added that their farm continues to explore other regenerative farming practices, such as planting nearly two miles of trees, grasses, and flowering shrubs on the farm.
“Choosing to consume turkeys raised regeneratively is not just an acknowledgment of sustainable development principles but also a scientifically supported way to provide more nutrient-rich food for families while contributing to preserving the earth and benefiting future generations,” Heidi said.
John Filbrun mentioned that regenerative animal husbandry does not require antibiotics to maintain the health of poultry because these animals are not confined in stressful environments.
“This freedom brings resilience to animals. Livestock raised sustainably in diverse, vibrant environments can adapt well, thrive, and benefit the entire food system, from soil microbes to family dinner tables,” he said.
He explained that healthy turkeys start with healthy soil.
“Before the first turkey chick arrives on the farm, we spent years laying a solid foundation for their growth – rotational grazing, planting diverse cover crops, allowing the land to rest. This soil teems with life such as earthworms, microbes, mycorrhizal fungi, etc. These organisms work together to create fertile and vibrant soil,” John expressed.
“This is beneficial not only for plants but also for turkeys. Living on a healthy pasture, these birds can naturally exhibit their instincts: foraging freely, chasing insects, and enjoying the sunshine.”
The life of turkey chicks commences in cozy brooders. The farm feeds them organic, non-GMO chick feed. John mentioned that when they reach about four to six weeks old, they move them to the pasture.
“We move their dwelling every one to two days to a new pasture, where they can eat greens, insects, and seeds. Continual rotation ensures these turkeys never reside in their own excrement, and the land they occupy also benefits from fertilization,” John said.
“It’s a symbiotic relationship: turkeys get what they need from the land, and the land gets what it needs from the turkeys.”
The Diestel Family Ranch has established business contacts with third-party certified regenerative corn and soy farms to procure turkey feed.
“We provide consumers with higher-quality products, and they can taste the difference,” Heidi said. “We see a cultural shift where people want to understand the source and production methods of their food, which is indeed a positive development for farms adopting regenerative agriculture methods.”
In 1999, many American farms were able to label their turkeys as “certified organic” for the first time. Heidi mentioned that her family was involved in developing these certification standards.
In 2024, the Diestel Family Ranch became the first turkey producer in the U.S. to receive “Regenified certification,” the gold standard for regenerative practices and ecological health in the industry.
“Regenified certification” is the first third-party regenerative food certification accepted and endorsed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Services, applicable to single-ingredient and multi-ingredient products.
The pricing of Filbrun Farm’s chicken is similar to Diestel Farm’s, and people are willing to pay this price.
“We’re finding that more and more people are focused on quality and taste. People are becoming aware of the damage chemicals have caused to traditional farm soils and feeds. More consumers are changing how they consume turkeys and other meats,” John stated.