I recently attended Chipotle Cultivate in Phoenix, the first stop in the 2015 event schedule for Chipotle. This family-friendly, dog-friendly event is full of awesome music, to-die-for food, and interactive educational exhibits. Since I didn't bring my family or my pooch, I enjoyed the company of one of my best gal-pals and stalked strangers with dogs for my canine fix.
Some of the strangers I stalked at Chipotle Cultivate.
We enjoyed delicious local food and beverage, watched demos from world-renowned chefs, and listened to killer bands.
To me, one of the most impactful elements of the festival was the Factory vs. Farm exhibit. I've talked before about Chipotle's stellar ethics when it comes to the way their food is humanely raised, most recently highlighting the absence of carnitas in their restaurants. The Factory vs. Farm exhibit illustrated exactly why Chipotle has such high standards for their pork.
It's eye-opening to see such a warning when you are walking into an exhibit that will tell you the difference between factory-raised pork and farm-raised pork. Where does your food come from?
As we filed into the cramped quarters of the exhibit, we saw the conditions in which factory-raised pigs are forced to live. We not only learned about their deplorable environments, but about their health. For example the amount of antibiotics used in pork farming quadruples human antibiotic use in the U.S. When we eat conventionally-raised pork, that is passed on to us.
We viewed the conditions that factory-raised pigs face and learned some shocking facts.
The exhibit housed some intense visuals and films and literature addressing how bad things are for factory-raised pigs. There's just nothing good about supporting that industry. From the mistreatment of the animals to the amount of stress hormones and antibiotics that are passed on to us in the meat, conventionally-raised pork is not something we should consume.
Thankfully, Chipotle has found a better way.
Upon exiting the Factory vs. Farm exhibit, we had the opportunity to discuss the industry with one of Chipotle's own pork suppliers. He answered questions about raising pigs responsibly and spoke to people one-on-one about the importance of sustainable farming practices.
Responsible hog farming is the way.
I'm not quite sure where other than Chipotle Cultivate you could have such a full day. Learning and fun, all rolled into one, not to mention, you can bring your pooch! I've heard from Chipotle that the Phoenix Cultivate Festival was such a success, that it will be returning in 2016. I can't wait!
Chipotle Cultivate will be in Kansas City on July 18th and in Minneapolis on August 22nd.
Did you attend Chipotle Cultivate in Phoenix? Will you attend on Kansas City or Minneapolis? What are your thoughts on factory-raised vs. farm-raised pork?
RELATED READING
chipotle is out of carnitas for good reason