The turkey itself was very good—flavorful, well-raised, and cooked beautifully. From a product standpoint, I have no complaints about the meat.
We are fully committed to supporting regenerative and responsibly raised agriculture, which is why we chose to purchase directly from Diestel Family Ranch. Unfortunately, the overall purchasing experience did not live up to that commitment.
I ordered a 16–18 lb fresh turkey and received one closer to 16 lbs, with no price adjustment. When purchasing through Whole Foods, if you pay for an 18-lb turkey and receive a smaller one, the difference is credited. That did not happen here, despite the premium price.
In addition, the turkey arrived slightly frozen. For a product marketed and priced as “fresh,” this was unexpected and inconvenient, particularly when planning holiday timing and preparation.
Finally, the direct-from-company price was higher than what I typically pay at Whole Foods for the same turkey, which made the lack of weight adjustment and the partially frozen condition more frustrating.
Bottom line: the turkey was good, and we value the principles behind how it is raised, but the overall experience was not. For future buyers, I would recommend purchasing this turkey through a retailer like Whole Foods rather than ordering directly, unless these issues are addressed.
