A Personal History of the Peoples Food System - Revision history

Ccarlsson at 20:19, 24 October 2025

2025-10-24T20:19:12Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:19, 24 October 2025
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	In a time before Whole Foods, Rainbow Grocery, Trader Joe’s, and organic produce in supermarkets, one had to shop rather widely in San Francisco to assemble a grocery list of whole foods and organic fruits and vegetables. In the early 1970s, for bulk dry goods there was Oh’s Fine Foods, a narrow storefront on Mission Street with a wooden floor and open burlap bags that felt as if it had been there for a century (and may have for all I know). For organic produce, there was the Alemany Farmer’s Market. For cheeses there were various Italian delicatessens. You might travel to a store only because it carried a particular item, such as peanut butter without hydrogenated fats or cream cheese without additives.		In a time before Whole Foods, Rainbow Grocery, Trader Joe’s, and organic produce in supermarkets, one had to shop rather widely in San Francisco to assemble a grocery list of whole foods and organic fruits and vegetables. In the early 1970s, for bulk dry goods there was Oh’s Fine Foods, a narrow storefront on Mission Street with a wooden floor and open burlap bags that felt as if it had been there for a century (and may have for all I know). For organic produce, there was the Alemany Farmer’s Market. For cheeses there were various Italian delicatessens. You might travel to a store only because it carried a particular item, such as peanut butter without hydrogenated fats or cream cheese without additives.

	In that time of experimentation and alternative institutions, there arose groups that called themselves Food Conspiracies. Perhaps the first was the Free Food Conspiracy, which was formed by a number of communes—that is, communal living groups. They pooled their food stamps, bought food in bulk, and distributed it to members according to need. The Free Food Conspiracy only lasted about a year as participants balked against having to give up “imported cheeses and health food extravagances”1 for the common diet it provided. But others took up the idea and created food conspiracies that used cash to buy just what each household, communal or not, wanted to eat. Conspiracies saved shopping time and provided high quality food, often at lower prices below what was otherwise available.		In that time of experimentation and alternative institutions, there arose groups that called themselves [[Food Conspiracy Roots\|Food Conspiracies]]. Perhaps the first was the Free Food Conspiracy, which was formed by a number of communes—that is, communal living groups. They pooled their food stamps, bought food in bulk, and distributed it to members according to need. The Free Food Conspiracy only lasted about a year as participants balked against having to give up “imported cheeses and health food extravagances”1 for the common diet it provided. But others took up the idea and created food conspiracies that used cash to buy just what each household, communal or not, wanted to eat. Conspiracies saved shopping time and provided high quality food, often at lower prices below what was otherwise available.

	<font size=4>'''Beginnings of the People’s Food System'''</font size>		<font size=4>'''Beginnings of the People’s Food System'''</font size>
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	As the number of food conspiracies grew, people saw opportunities to organize wholesale buying operations. Some formed a dry goods warehouse, and one person was supplying dairy and chickens. So when three people who had just arrived in San Francisco from Iowa came up with the idea of opening a food store, some of the suppliers for that store were already in place. In about 1974, they founded Seeds of Life food store at 3021 24th Street. At first it was run by volunteers, including food conspiracy members, who would work for a couple of hours and then shop for items the conspiracy didn’t offer. Soon the store was hiring staff and organizing as a collective. In a collective, decisions were to be made by consensus, with each member having an equal say.		As the number of food conspiracies grew, people saw opportunities to organize wholesale buying operations. Some formed a dry goods warehouse, and one person was supplying dairy and chickens. So when three people who had just arrived in San Francisco from Iowa came up with the idea of opening a food store, some of the suppliers for that store were already in place. In about 1974, they founded Seeds of Life food store at 3021 24th Street. At first it was run by volunteers, including food conspiracy members, who would work for a couple of hours and then shop for items the conspiracy didn’t offer. Soon the store was hiring staff and organizing as a collective. In a collective, decisions were to be made by consensus, with each member having an equal say.

	The second store to open was the Noe Valley Community Store and then, in 1975, Rainbow Grocery (founded by members of an ashram) joined the system. At its peak, the People’s Food System included 11 retail stores, the dry goods warehouse, a dairy distributor, a cheese distributor, two bakeries (one in San Francisco and one in the East Bay), a produce distributor, a refrigerator repair company, a magazine, and, briefly, a day care center.		[[Image:Semillas-de-Vida-Seeds-of-Life-at-Balmy-Alley-c-1980 by-Henry-Baca.jpg]]

			'''Seeds of Life/Semillas de Vida food co-op at Balmy Alley and 24th Street, c. 1980.'''

			''Photo: Henry Baca''

			The second store to open was the Noe Valley Community Store and then, in 1975, Rainbow Grocery (founded by members of an ashram) joined the system. At its peak, the [[San Francisco Bay Area People’s Food System\|People’s Food System]] included 11 retail stores, the dry goods warehouse, a dairy distributor, a cheese distributor, two bakeries (one in San Francisco and one in the East Bay), a produce distributor, a refrigerator repair company, a magazine, and, briefly, a day care center.

	''by Pam Peirce, excerpted from her essay "A Personal History of the People's Food System,'' in the anthology "Ten Years That Shook the City: San Francisco 1968-78" (City Lights Foundation: 2011), edited by Chris Carlsson.''		''by Pam Peirce, excerpted from her essay "A Personal History of the People's Food System,'' in the anthology "Ten Years That Shook the City: San Francisco 1968-78" (City Lights Foundation: 2011), edited by Chris Carlsson.''

Ccarlsson at 05:52, 24 November 2021

2021-11-24T05:52:51Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:52, 23 November 2021
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	''by Pam Peirce, excerpted from her essay "A Personal History of the People's Food System,'' in the anthology "Ten Years That Shook the City: San Francisco 1968-78" (City Lights Foundation: 2011), edited by Chris Carlsson.''		''by Pam Peirce, excerpted from her essay "A Personal History of the People's Food System,'' in the anthology "Ten Years That Shook the City: San Francisco 1968-78" (City Lights Foundation: 2011), edited by Chris Carlsson.''

	[[Image:Ten Years small 87286100958430M.gif]] Find the book at [~~http~~://~~www.~~citylights.com/~~book~~/~~?GCOI=87286100958430~~ City Lights]!		[[Image:Ten Years small 87286100958430M.gif]] Find the book at [https://citylights.com/foundation-books/10-years-that-shook-the-city-sf-68-78/ City Lights]!

Ccarlsson: fixed audio link

2014-02-05T18:15:04Z

fixed audio link

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:15, 5 February 2014
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	'''Listen to an excerpt from "A Personal History of the Peoples Food System" read by author Pam Peirce:'''		'''Listen to an excerpt from "A Personal History of the Peoples Food System" read by author Pam Peirce:'''

	<~~embed~~ src="~~http~~://~~www.~~archive.org/~~flow~~/~~flowplayer.commercial-3.2.1.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash~~" width="~~640~~" height="26" ~~allowfullscreen~~="~~true" allowscriptaccess=~~"~~always" cachebusting~~="true" ~~bgcolor="#000000" quality="high" flashvars~~="config={'key':'#$aa4baff94a9bdcafce8','playlist':[{'url':'17PamPeirce24thAtBalmyMastered2.mp3','autoPlay':false}],'clip':{'autoPlay':true,'baseUrl':'http://www.archive.org/download/TenYearsPamPeirce/'},'canvas':{'backgroundColor':'#000000','backgroundGradient':'none'},'plugins':{'audio':{'url':'http://www.archive.org/flow/flowplayer.audio-3.2.1-dev.swf'},'controls':{'playlist':false,'fullscreen':false,'height':26,'backgroundColor':'#000000','autoHide':{'fullscreenOnly':true~~},'scrubberHeightRatio':0.6,'timeFontSize':9,'mute':false,'top':0}},'contextMenu':[{},'-','Flowplayer v3.2.1']}~~"> </~~embed~~>		<iframe src="https://archive.org/embed/TenYearsPamPeirce" width="500" height="30" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen="true" mozallowfullscreen="true" allowfullscreen></iframe>

	by [http://www.archive.org/download/TenYearsPamPeirce/17PamPeirce24thAtBalmyMastered2.mp3 mp3].		by [http://www.archive.org/download/TenYearsPamPeirce/17PamPeirce24thAtBalmyMastered2.mp3 mp3].

Ccarlsson: reformatting - fixed!

2011-05-05T18:41:26Z

reformatting - fixed!

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:41, 5 May 2011
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	<hr>		<hr>

	[[Image:Tenyears-tour-02.gif\|link=Jung Sai Garment Workers Strike 1974\|left~~]][[Image:Tenyears-tour-02.gif\|link=Mujeres Muralistas\|right~~]]		[[Image:Tenyears-tour-02.gif\|link=Jung Sai Garment Workers Strike 1974\|left]]
	~~<div align="left">~~Previous stop #5: [[Rise and Fall of Underground Comix\|Underground comix]] <br>		Previous stop #5: [[Rise and Fall of Underground Comix\|Underground comix]] <br>
	Next Stop #7: [[Jung Sai Garment Workers Strike 1974\| Earth-shattering and heaven-startling event]]<~~/div~~><br>		Next Stop #7: [[Jung Sai Garment Workers Strike 1974\| Earth-shattering and heaven-startling event]]<br><br>
	~~<div align~~=~~"right">~~Previous stop #16: [[Managua North: San Francisco's Solidarity Movement\|SF = Managua north]]<br>
	Next Stop #18: [[Mujeres Muralistas\| Mujeres Muralistas]] <~~/div~~>
			[[Image:Tenyears-tour-02.gif\|link=Mujeres Muralistas\|left]]
			Previous stop #16: [[Managua North: San Francisco's Solidarity Movement\|SF = Managua north]]<br>
			Next Stop #18: [[Mujeres Muralistas\| Mujeres Muralistas]]<br><br>

	<hr>		<hr>

Lisaruth: better with ten years icon, still not quite right...

2011-05-05T07:12:21Z

better with ten years icon, still not quite right...

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:12, 5 May 2011
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	<hr>		<hr>

	<div align="~~center~~">~~'''Continue the ''Ten Years'' Tour''' </div>~~		[[Image:Tenyears-tour-02.gif\|link=Jung Sai Garment Workers Strike 1974\|left]][[Image:Tenyears-tour-02.gif\|link=Mujeres Muralistas\|right]]
	Previous stop #5: [[Rise and Fall of Underground Comix\|Underground comix]] <br>		<div align="left">Previous stop #5: [[Rise and Fall of Underground Comix\|Underground comix]] <br>
	Next Stop #7: [[Jung Sai Garment Workers Strike 1974\| Earth-shattering and heaven-startling event]]		Next Stop #7: [[Jung Sai Garment Workers Strike 1974\| Earth-shattering and heaven-startling event]]</div><br>
	<div align="right">Previous stop #16: [[Managua North: San Francisco's Solidarity Movement\|SF = Managua north]]<br>		<div align="right">Previous stop #16: [[Managua North: San Francisco's Solidarity Movement\|SF = Managua north]]<br>
	Next Stop #18: [[Mujeres Muralistas\| Mujeres Muralistas]] </div>		Next Stop #18: [[Mujeres Muralistas\| Mujeres Muralistas]] </div>

Lisaruth: Protected "A Personal History of the Peoples Food System" ([edit=sysop] (indefinite) [move=sysop] (indefinite))

2011-04-20T21:43:31Z

Protected "A Personal History of the Peoples Food System" ([edit=sysop] (indefinite) [move=sysop] (indefinite))

← Older revision	Revision as of 14:43, 20 April 2011
(No difference)

Lisaruth: tried to align navigation for both 6 and 17. needs more work...

2011-04-20T21:43:05Z

tried to align navigation for both 6 and 17. needs more work...

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:43, 20 April 2011
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	'''Continue the ''Ten Years'' Tour''' <br>		<div align="center">'''Continue the ''Ten Years'' Tour''' </div>
	Previous stop: [[Rise and Fall of Underground Comix\|Underground comix]] <br>		Previous stop #5: [[Rise and Fall of Underground Comix\|Underground comix]] <br>
	Next Stop #7: [[Jung Sai Garment Workers Strike 1974\| Earth-shattering and heaven-startling event]]		Next Stop #7: [[Jung Sai Garment Workers Strike 1974\| Earth-shattering and heaven-startling event]]
			<div align="right">Previous stop #16: [[Managua North: San Francisco's Solidarity Movement\|SF = Managua north]]<br>
			Next Stop #18: [[Mujeres Muralistas\| Mujeres Muralistas]] </div>

	<hr>		<hr>

Lisaruth: added tour navigation to top of page

2011-04-20T20:28:05Z

added tour navigation to top of page

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:28, 20 April 2011
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	<embed src="http://www.archive.org/flow/flowplayer.commercial-3.2.1.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="640" height="26" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" cachebusting="true" bgcolor="#000000" quality="high" flashvars="config={'key':'#$aa4baff94a9bdcafce8','playlist':[{'url':'17PamPeirce24thAtBalmyMastered2.mp3','autoPlay':false}],'clip':{'autoPlay':true,'baseUrl':'http://www.archive.org/download/TenYearsPamPeirce/'},'canvas':{'backgroundColor':'#000000','backgroundGradient':'none'},'plugins':{'audio':{'url':'http://www.archive.org/flow/flowplayer.audio-3.2.1-dev.swf'},'controls':{'playlist':false,'fullscreen':false,'height':26,'backgroundColor':'#000000','autoHide':{'fullscreenOnly':true},'scrubberHeightRatio':0.6,'timeFontSize':9,'mute':false,'top':0}},'contextMenu':[{},'-','Flowplayer v3.2.1']}"> </embed>		<embed src="http://www.archive.org/flow/flowplayer.commercial-3.2.1.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="640" height="26" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" cachebusting="true" bgcolor="#000000" quality="high" flashvars="config={'key':'#$aa4baff94a9bdcafce8','playlist':[{'url':'17PamPeirce24thAtBalmyMastered2.mp3','autoPlay':false}],'clip':{'autoPlay':true,'baseUrl':'http://www.archive.org/download/TenYearsPamPeirce/'},'canvas':{'backgroundColor':'#000000','backgroundGradient':'none'},'plugins':{'audio':{'url':'http://www.archive.org/flow/flowplayer.audio-3.2.1-dev.swf'},'controls':{'playlist':false,'fullscreen':false,'height':26,'backgroundColor':'#000000','autoHide':{'fullscreenOnly':true},'scrubberHeightRatio':0.6,'timeFontSize':9,'mute':false,'top':0}},'contextMenu':[{},'-','Flowplayer v3.2.1']}"> </embed>

	~~or download an mp3~~ [http://www.archive.org/download/TenYearsPamPeirce/17PamPeirce24thAtBalmyMastered2.mp3 ~~here~~].		by [http://www.archive.org/download/TenYearsPamPeirce/17PamPeirce24thAtBalmyMastered2.mp3 mp3].

			<hr>

			'''Continue the ''Ten Years'' Tour''' <br>
			Previous stop: [[Rise and Fall of Underground Comix\|Underground comix]] <br>
			Next Stop #7: [[Jung Sai Garment Workers Strike 1974\| Earth-shattering and heaven-startling event]]

	<hr>		<hr>

Ccarlsson at 19:13, 17 April 2011

2011-04-17T19:13:10Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:13, 17 April 2011
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	'''<font face = Papyrus> <font color = maroon> <font size = 4>"I was there..."</font></font> </font>'''		'''<font face = Papyrus> <font color = maroon> <font size = 4>"I was there..."</font></font> </font>'''

	[[Image:06.gif\|64px\|left]] ~~and~~ [[Image:17.gif\|64px\|~~left~~]]		[[Image:06.gif\|64px\|left]] [[Image:17.gif\|64px\|right]]

	'''Listen to an excerpt from "A Personal History of the Peoples Food System" read by author Pam Peirce:'''		'''Listen to an excerpt from "A Personal History of the Peoples Food System" read by author Pam Peirce:'''

Ccarlsson at 19:12, 17 April 2011

2011-04-17T19:12:09Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:12, 17 April 2011
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	'''<font face = Papyrus> <font color = maroon> <font size = 4>"I was there..."</font></font> </font>'''		'''<font face = Papyrus> <font color = maroon> <font size = 4>"I was there..."</font></font> </font>'''

	[[Image:06.gif\|64px\|left]] and [[Image:17.gif\|64px\|left]] '''Listen to an excerpt from "A Personal History of the Peoples Food System" read by author Pam Peirce:'''		[[Image:06.gif\|64px\|left]] and [[Image:17.gif\|64px\|left]]

			'''Listen to an excerpt from "A Personal History of the Peoples Food System" read by author Pam Peirce:'''

	<embed src="http://www.archive.org/flow/flowplayer.commercial-3.2.1.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="640" height="26" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" cachebusting="true" bgcolor="#000000" quality="high" flashvars="config={'key':'#$aa4baff94a9bdcafce8','playlist':[{'url':'17PamPeirce24thAtBalmyMastered2.mp3','autoPlay':false}],'clip':{'autoPlay':true,'baseUrl':'http://www.archive.org/download/TenYearsPamPeirce/'},'canvas':{'backgroundColor':'#000000','backgroundGradient':'none'},'plugins':{'audio':{'url':'http://www.archive.org/flow/flowplayer.audio-3.2.1-dev.swf'},'controls':{'playlist':false,'fullscreen':false,'height':26,'backgroundColor':'#000000','autoHide':{'fullscreenOnly':true},'scrubberHeightRatio':0.6,'timeFontSize':9,'mute':false,'top':0}},'contextMenu':[{},'-','Flowplayer v3.2.1']}"> </embed>		<embed src="http://www.archive.org/flow/flowplayer.commercial-3.2.1.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="640" height="26" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" cachebusting="true" bgcolor="#000000" quality="high" flashvars="config={'key':'#$aa4baff94a9bdcafce8','playlist':[{'url':'17PamPeirce24thAtBalmyMastered2.mp3','autoPlay':false}],'clip':{'autoPlay':true,'baseUrl':'http://www.archive.org/download/TenYearsPamPeirce/'},'canvas':{'backgroundColor':'#000000','backgroundGradient':'none'},'plugins':{'audio':{'url':'http://www.archive.org/flow/flowplayer.audio-3.2.1-dev.swf'},'controls':{'playlist':false,'fullscreen':false,'height':26,'backgroundColor':'#000000','autoHide':{'fullscreenOnly':true},'scrubberHeightRatio':0.6,'timeFontSize':9,'mute':false,'top':0}},'contextMenu':[{},'-','Flowplayer v3.2.1']}"> </embed>

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:41, 5 May 2011
Line 11:		Line 11:
	<hr>		<hr>

	[[Image:Tenyears-tour-02.gif\|link=Jung Sai Garment Workers Strike 1974\|left~~]][[Image:Tenyears-tour-02.gif\|link=Mujeres Muralistas\|right~~]]		[[Image:Tenyears-tour-02.gif\|link=Jung Sai Garment Workers Strike 1974\|left]]
	~~<div align="left">~~Previous stop #5: [[Rise and Fall of Underground Comix\|Underground comix]] <br>		Previous stop #5: [[Rise and Fall of Underground Comix\|Underground comix]] <br>
	Next Stop #7: [[Jung Sai Garment Workers Strike 1974\| Earth-shattering and heaven-startling event]]<~~/div~~><br>		Next Stop #7: [[Jung Sai Garment Workers Strike 1974\| Earth-shattering and heaven-startling event]]<br><br>
	~~<div align~~=~~"right">~~Previous stop #16: [[Managua North: San Francisco's Solidarity Movement\|SF = Managua north]]<br>
	Next Stop #18: [[Mujeres Muralistas\| Mujeres Muralistas]] <~~/div~~>
			[[Image:Tenyears-tour-02.gif\|link=Mujeres Muralistas\|left]]
			Previous stop #16: [[Managua North: San Francisco's Solidarity Movement\|SF = Managua north]]<br>
			Next Stop #18: [[Mujeres Muralistas\| Mujeres Muralistas]]<br><br>

	<hr>		<hr>

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:12, 5 May 2011
Line 11:		Line 11:
	<hr>		<hr>

	<div align="~~center~~">~~'''Continue the ''Ten Years'' Tour''' </div>~~		[[Image:Tenyears-tour-02.gif\|link=Jung Sai Garment Workers Strike 1974\|left]][[Image:Tenyears-tour-02.gif\|link=Mujeres Muralistas\|right]]
	Previous stop #5: [[Rise and Fall of Underground Comix\|Underground comix]] <br>		<div align="left">Previous stop #5: [[Rise and Fall of Underground Comix\|Underground comix]] <br>
	Next Stop #7: [[Jung Sai Garment Workers Strike 1974\| Earth-shattering and heaven-startling event]]		Next Stop #7: [[Jung Sai Garment Workers Strike 1974\| Earth-shattering and heaven-startling event]]</div><br>
	<div align="right">Previous stop #16: [[Managua North: San Francisco's Solidarity Movement\|SF = Managua north]]<br>		<div align="right">Previous stop #16: [[Managua North: San Francisco's Solidarity Movement\|SF = Managua north]]<br>
	Next Stop #18: [[Mujeres Muralistas\| Mujeres Muralistas]] </div>		Next Stop #18: [[Mujeres Muralistas\| Mujeres Muralistas]] </div>