SFist: What's Going On Here, Civic Center Farmers Market?

liveonade

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:29:32 -0800

I'm assuming you eat your sushi because you choose to spend money on it. Low income folks often don't have a choice about the food they eat. Our government needs to step up to the plate and prioritize access to healthy food for low income people, whatever their nationality. If it did, we would not see scenes like this at UN Plaza.

KatyG

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:52:26 -0800

Culturally-inappropriate? Pardon me, but if this Italian-American can manage to eat sushi, a Chinese-American can somehow manage to choke down a tin of canned peaches.

liveonade

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:44:34 -0800

This does not have anything to do with Food Stamps and drug dealers! Low income senoirs who receive SSI are ineligible for Food Stamps in the state of California. These ladies most likely received grocery bags from a pantry distribution. The contents of the grocery bags - corn flakes, canned fruit, and bottles of juice - are not only culturally inappropriate for these women, they're also not very nutritious. The Civic Center farmers market has plenty of low cost, culturally-approproate produce, and proudly serves the Asian community. These women are simply trying to sell food that they're not going to eat so that they can buy something from the farmers market.

RobInSF

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 09:54:21 -0800

Is that an actual MUNI bus running in the background??? Egads, the Loch Ness Monster must also exist!

Incandenza

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 08:09:03 -0800

towel, please.

travin

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 18:09:51 -0800

Monsieur, azonnal kövessen engem, bitte!

GefilteFish

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:39:02 -0800

I was waiting for the day SFist would do this post. There's something oddly pathetic about this scene (that I see every Wednesday) that inspires both my sympathy and hatred. What's going on in their heads that makes them think "Duh, of course I'm going to put my gallon can of generic orange juice up for sale outside the BART stop next to the crack head pissing all over." At least sell at the other end of the market, Jesus.

izzyizzy

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 16:18:14 -0800

i am not "harshly judging" just reporting what my friend who works in a shelter on 6th and mission has told me on many occasions. i'm sorry if my facts are incorrect or offensive. now quit berating me, please.

thelivingsunset

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 16:05:10 -0800

Actually all states are now on a foodstamp debit system. This has been true for atleast five years.

nomadlisa

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 14:33:16 -0800

whoever thinks they still issue *real foodstamps* (izzyizzy) and not a debit card to run this DOUBLE WHAMMY of a druggie/broke person scam is on the late freight, california is on a debit card system and has been for awhile... if you care to educate yourself about the people you are harshly judging without knowing their circumstance...oh wait... nevermind. ok for other people with open minds who may be curious, here is a site for you to explore all about our ebt card system here in ca. food stamp card info

icbalaam

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 14:32:06 -0800

I'd do this exact same thing if I knew I wouldn't end up on SFist. Of course that hasn't stopped me from selling my ass.

TheCharlie

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 14:27:48 -0800

I seem to remember being able to get corn flake french toast at Home on Market/Church. Dee-lish!

bluecanary

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 14:21:15 -0800

I am so going to try that coating on my french toast. Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day.

davitydave

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 14:02:16 -0800

Now I know where to go shopping on Wednesdays!

Brock Keeling

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:57:17 -0800

oh and i recommend adding a drop or two of McCormick food coloring to the marshmallow mixture for an even more festive treat!

mpantone

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:47:25 -0800

sf_matt wrote: Those are.. women?! You live in San Francisco, son. Get used to it.

travin

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:41:55 -0800

Oh, that and a lot of senior centers, services and programs for the disabled, folks get food bags delivered to them and the services don't take back the unwanted portions. Ideally they should, but they usually don't. It's usually brushed off with "give it to your neighbor or sell it, we can't take it back."

travin

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:39:08 -0800

With all the judgment flyin around, the thought crosses my mind that it's also quite possible these persons are selling OTHER people's food bank discards. Sheez, people.

jportillo

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:32:57 -0800

My coworker and I figured it was some sort of food bank scam. The worst is when they sit at the corner of 7th and Mission and have dairy products. Nothing like sour cream from off the street...just like nature intended.

Ginger

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:29:15 -0800

both of those ladies ride the F in the mornings for exactly one block; 7th to 6th around 8 am. reselling what you didn't want from a food bank reserves you a special spot in hell, imho. everyone's got morals, from americans to wrinkled chinese ladies and I'm pretty sure this type of activity falls into the "maybe not so much a good thing" category.

grimmdude

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:15:59 -0800

Someone is wearing pants that are way too big.

Richmondlover

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:10:32 -0800

Just saying... seems messed up to sell food you got for free because its not something you normally eat.Why not trade with neighbors/friends or else just leave it at the food bank for the next person? The food banks hand out random stuff and sure, a lot of it probably gets tossed out or wasted but it seems like such a shame. Same shame as when I buy food that goes bad or expires before I can use it or something.

manys

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:51:16 -0800

pink-bag mafia!

SFJoe

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:48:18 -0800

Wow - selling food they got at the food bank. What tremendous crime. Just think of the millions of dollars they must be making off this operation.

KeithFuckinMoon

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:46:34 -0800

I can't believe nobody has commented on the pile of grunt with the 22" inseam and dumb ass baggy jeans in the middle of the photo.

Akit

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:40:15 -0800

Similar people did the same thing at Reverend Cecil Williams' holiday grocery bag program too.

scorched

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:29:27 -0800

Definitely food-bank rejects. If they were using food stamps to buy food for resale (which I am sure also exists) they'd buy stuff that has a wider appeal than random single bottles of iced tea.

Richmondlover

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:25:31 -0800

I have a feeling they're selling stuff they don't want that they got from the food pantry. I see this every week (I work next to a food pantry. Lots of discarding and throwing away of stuff they just got for free... no good)

Akit

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:21:52 -0800

I thought they were waiting in line at a food bank or those grocery bag giveaways that charity orgs do and now they are selling them for cash.

sf matt

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:17:52 -0800

Those are.. women?! Oops.

Brock Keeling

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:16:06 -0800

Incandenza, welcome to the internets. Let me know if you need extra towels.

suckafree

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:15:32 -0800

well you'd think that you'd capitalize mister grammar nazi! ;)

joebob2

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:14:02 -0800

The farmers market is a front for drugs.

Incandenza

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:13:42 -0800

suckafree, "kudo's" WTF? There is no need for an apostrophe, as 'kudos' is not possessive. dude! (sorry, i grew up in South Africa and am the product of British schooling. bad grammar literally makes me itch.)

porkbun

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:12:29 -0800

That corner is a great observation point for anyone who wants to witness the blending of legal, quasi-legal, and illegal commerce

Brock Keeling

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:00:48 -0800

i think the fact that they're chinese women is incidental. ideally, anyway.

suckafree

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:58:39 -0800

that's the american way. you gotta love it. especially the fact that they are indigent chinese women. i much prefer to see them doing this than digging through trash cans for recycling. kudo's ladies, kudo's.

Brock Keeling

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:49:56 -0800

bluecanary, yes. my god, it is wonderful. in chicago is where first tasted it. (i discovered that in chicago it's against the law to have less than five different types of carbs on your plate.)

periqueblend

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:49:24 -0800

Over/under on the comments being more than just a little bit racist? (blue canary, the corn flakes are the topping, I think, not RK)

bluecanary

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:46:41 -0800

Use rice krispies as coating for french toast?? Intriguing. Is it good that way?

izzyizzy

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:45:59 -0800

these women buy food stamps from drug addicts for half their value and resell the food for a profit. it's quite sad, really.