More Than Just Dinner: The Happy Life of a Windsweep Farm Turkey

DIXON, IL — In the rolling plains of northwestern Illinois, far from the crowded barns and artificial lights of industrial facilities, Thanksgiving preparations take on a more natural rhythm. At Windsweep Farm, the turkeys destined for holiday tables spend their days roaming open pastures, scratching through grass, and living the way turkeys are meant to live.

For the Sheaffer family, who have owned and operated Windsweep Farm for five generations, raising turkeys is not a seasonal business—it is part of a 70-year commitment to humane, ethical, and sustainable farming.

A Pasture-Raised Difference

While millions of commercial turkeys are raised in confinement, Windsweep Farm follows a pasture-based model. Here, animals live outdoors, experiencing sunlight, seasons, and fresh air every single day.

The farm’s philosophy is rooted in a simple belief: “Healthy animals make healthy meat.”

There are no cages, no crowded sheds, and no artificial growth boosters. Instead, turkeys spend their days:

• Foraging naturally for insects
• Dust-bathing in soft soil
• Roaming freely across rotating pastures
• Living low-stress, natural lives

According to the family, the result is not only better animal welfare but a noticeable difference in meat quality and nutrition.

A Five-Generation Family Tradition

Located at 320 Palmyra Road, Windsweep Farm is a diverse ecosystem built over decades of dedication and slow, generational progress.

While turkeys take center stage every November, the farm is active year-round. The Sheaffers also raise:

• Guernsey and Brown Swiss cows for raw milk and cream
• Grass-fed beef cattle
• Berkshire pork
• Laying hens for fresh eggs

The family grows hay, soybeans, and corn on their land—ensuring full control over feed quality. Every animal on the farm is fed a vegetarian, hormone-free, antibiotic-free diet that matches their humane philosophy.

This level of self-sufficiency is rare today, but it’s part of what keeps Windsweep connected to its roots.

Connecting Community to Food

“More Than Just Dinner” is more than a catchy phrase—it reflects the deeper relationship between the Sheaffer family, their animals, and their customers.

In an age when most people have no idea where their food comes from, Windsweep Farm offers something increasingly rare: transparency.

Customers often communicate directly with the family, and many even visit the farm to see the pastures where their holiday turkey was raised. For the Sheaffers, this connection is part of the responsibility they feel toward both animals and community.

From moving portable pens to providing individual daily care, every step is intentional. Every turkey lives a full, natural life right up until harvest.

A Thanksgiving Meal Rooted in Tradition

This year, as families across Effingham and Dixon carve their Thanksgiving turkeys, those who choose a Windsweep Farm bird will experience more than a meal. They will taste the result of months spent in open fields, under the sky, nurtured by a family with five generations of commitment to doing things the old-fashioned way.

At Windsweep Farm, a turkey is never just dinner. It’s a story—one of heritage, humane care, and the belief that great food begins with a great life.