This week I received a reply from Chipotle, and they said that they would not be able to grant me an interview, and that I should look at their website for any info that I wanted.  So that was not the ideal reply, but at least they got back to me relatively soon.  I am now exploring different topics to do my presentation on including no-till farming, and other innovations that have appeared in the farming world recently.  I know a few farmers who manage their fields using no-till methods, so I think that will probably be the route that I chose.       

This week, I was away for most of the week, so I was not able to make much progress.  I did call the Burlington Chipotle, but they said that all interview questions have to go through the corporate headquarters so I will call them on Monday.   

This week was a big week for the letters and e-mail to Chipotle.  After about seven or eight revisions, the e-mail to Chipotle was finally ready to be sent off on Thursday.  After changing a few things around with the e-mail, I sent a version to Steve Ells, the founder of Chipotle requesting an interview. Even if I don't get a response, it's still worth a shot.  Hopefully I will hear back within a week.  I also have plans to call the Burlington Chipotle this week.     

This week, I met with my in school advisers about the idea of trying to interview Chipotle about their commitment to family farms.  I have drafted a letter that I will send to Chipotle via e-mail, and I am working on a script for when I call them.  I will turn in the draft of the letter on Monday, and hopefully, I will have contacted them by Wednesday this coming week.    

This week, I finished a book about farming which I had gotten for Christmas, Folks, This Aint Normal, by Joel Salatin, a family farmer in Virginia who farms using sustainable methods.  In this book, he explores how our industrial food system is "not normal," and he shows how on his farm he is trying to change that, and he also includes simple tasks that the reader can complete to enjoy their local food scene even more.  In one part, Salatin describes his relationship with the restaurant chain, Chipotle.  He is a supplier of meat for their restaurant located near Salatins farm.  He describes how he was approached by the chain to see if he would be able to supply them with meat.  They wanted meat from his farm because of their pledge to get the majority of their meat from responsibly raised animals.  

That got me thinking about this class, and how there's a Chipotle in Burlington, and how they want to get their meat and vegetables from responsible family farmers.  You see where I'm going with this? So my idea is that I want to try to interview someone at the Burlington Chipotle about how they think that they are helping the Vermont Family Farm, and where they get their local food, for starters.  I brought this up with one of my mentors, Kate Carroll, and she suggested that I find out as much as I can about Chipotle before I contact them.  I have found out quite a bit, and in this coming week, I will be figuring out what I want to ask them, and then contacting them.  Hopefully by next week, I will be in contact with them about an interview.