Durst Organic Growers

A 35-year-old family farm with a reputation of uniquely delicious produce, environmental compassion, and good people.

Who is Durst?

When Whole Foods Market had one store in Houston, Texas in the early 90’s, they purchased their first organic watermelons from Durst Organic Growers. Since then, Durst Organic Growers and Whole Foods Market have “grown up together” and in 2011, Durst was awarded the supplier award for special achievement. Their relationship is still going strong and so is the Durst farm located in Esparto, California.

The Durst family has been farming in the Yolo county area of California since the late 1800’s. You can read the story behind their success here. Three generations of large-scale crop farmers began Durst Organic Growers and have built their impeccable reputation to where it is today. Most recently, Jim and Deborah Durst, who are known for their focus on fresh market organic produce, took the reins. Sustainable, environmentally-conscious farming practices are at the heart of Jim and Deborah’s mission.

Jim and Deborah believe that people and our planet matter. They have worked hard to build a conscious, ecologically-minded business where both people and the planet are treated with respect. Whether you are a large or small buyer, Durst will treat you the same. They work with buyers to grow around their needs and have built a thriving business based on integrity and top quality products. Durst fulfills orders up to expectations in quality and timeliness, offers a heightened level of customer service, and second-to-none attention to detail.

Durst guarantees freshness by having every employee ask one question before the produce leaves the farm, “would YOU buy it?” If the answer is no, it doesn’t leave the farm.

Regenerative Agriculture

Durst prioritizes Regenerative Agriculture, a gift back to the planet.

What is Regenerative Agriculture? According to the folks at Regeneration International, it “describes farming and grazing practices that, among other benefits, reverse climate change by rebuilding soil organic matter and restoring degraded soil biodiversity – resulting in both carbon drawdown and improving the water cycle.”

Sustainability is a start. But it isn’t enough.

Robert Rodale of the Rodale Institute coined the term “regenerative organic” to distinguish “a kind of farming that goes beyond sustainable.”
In the words of these experts, regenerative agriculture means “a holistic approach to farming that encourages continuous innovation and improvement of environmental, social, and economic measures.” We couldn’t be more in favor.
To Durst, regenerative agriculture depends on:

Soil First: Soil is a reservoir of life. Farming should maintain or increase the availability of nutrients plants need.

Integration of Cover Crops: A cover crop adds nutritive organic matter to a field and keeps rainfall percolating down into the soil.

Crop Rotation: Never planting the same crop in the same field two years in a row. Crop rotation suppresses disease and pest populations.

Minimal Tillage: Any disturbance to the soil disrupts webs of microbial communities living there. They should be kept to a minimum.

Biodiversity & Pest Management: Biodiversity causes pest management. A balanced environment makes space for nature without sacrificing investments.

Habitat Creation: Give pollinators, beneficial insects, reptiles, birds, and small mammals a place to live. Ecosystems grow crops.

Employee Care: Human beings deserve a healthy and happy farm environment too.

Food Equity/Community: Feeding others is our primary motive in this business, not profit.

Regenerative organic agriculture not only maintains resources but improves them. With only about 60 years of topsoil remaining at current practices, nothing less will do.

Let Durst remind you what vegetables should taste like.