Farming, but make it indie

We’re pretty independent over here at Diestel Family Ranch. 

But independence is more than an attribute. It’s a commitment to a way of doing business—and it’s a commitment to you! No, we’re not just stubborn; here’s why we won’t do anything any way but our way.

First things first.

Why independent farming? 

Well, as if a burning desire not to be told what to do by the marketing departments of massive corporations wasn’t reason enough, it all pretty much boils down to this: 

1. Inherently, independent farming means increased transparency.
   An independent farm is pretty much guaranteed to be a smaller farm, so you, as the consumer, have greater access to the people who run the business. Like me. Seriously, say hey sometime at heidid@diestelturkey.com. (Even if literally all you want to say is “Hey.”)
   
   
   • Transparency means increased quality of product.
     Independent farms’ strength isn’t in quantity. It’s in quality. More often than not, you’ll get better products out of independent farms because they’re usually smaller. We have to compete differently than huge food companies might, which in our case means our priority is raising mouthwateringly delicious birds, not a staggering number of birds. When it comes to eating—and I never would’ve guessed I’d say it—but in this case: less really is more.
     
     
   • Transparency means increased quality of practices
     With independent farms, not only do you get better products, but you get better practices, too. We can tell you how we raise our birds because… well, we actually know.
     
     Our head of marketing (aka Heidi Diestel—that’s me!) isn’t sitting in some big fancy office in a big city. I’m just a stone’s throw away from our birds. (But no, I’d never throw that stone. Remember? Thoughtfully Raised.) 
     
     That means we can guarantee you that we do indeed care about our animals and always, always champion transparency. It’s better for our birds, for us, and for you.
     
     Simply put, our values come first—quality over quantity.
     
     
2. Independent farms focus on using all resources versus waste
   Unlike massive corporations, small and independent farms can't afford to have trucks filled with waste, or have unnecessary steps in a process. This means thoughtful and creative practices to be as sustainable as possible.
   
   Ever wonder what happens to the rest of the bird when you buy “turkey breast” lunch meat? Ever wonder what we do with our feathers (hint: compost)
   
   Because we raise the turkey ourselves, we feel the responsibility to find a way to use the rest of it. It’s our way of respecting that animal, and it also prevents food waste—after all, we can’t just be a sandwich company.
   
   

Larger brands aren’t necessarily bad, but they do require making a choice.

Let’s face it: You’re not going to get the same quality out of a corporation that’s producing millions of chickens, cows, pigs, or you-name-its in a week as you could expect from a much smaller operation.

While they are set up for maximum production at every step of the process—often at the expense of quality—and brands like us, we just aren’t. If you want quality products that were thoughtfully produced, crafted with care and ultimately food that tastes better, then voting with your food dollars for independent farming is the way to go.

Finding independent farms

The internet has made things much, much easier to find—and that alone has increased transparency exponentially. From finding more information on farmers and producers to hearing other peoples’ stories and experiences with brands, it’s never been so simple to take such a close look so quickly.

Beyond that, as consumers become increasingly interested in finding good good food to eat, they’re going to be increasingly interested in marketplaces that make it easier to find, too. Mark my words, we’ll have an independent farming Etsy before you know it.

You can bet you’ll find us there when it opens. We look forward to seeing you there.