It was a perfect Saturday at the newly opened farmers' market in Noe Valley Ministry's parking lot, just off 24th Street: Lavender filled the air, a banjo player sang protest songs, and a stilt walker weaved among strollers and fleece-wearing thirtysomethings exchanging recipes. The jovial atmosphere, however, masked a rancorous, months-long battle: the people of Noe Valley versus Real Food parent Nutraceutical. The story is textbook S.F. Activism 101: (1) Big, bad out-of-state company acquires friendly neighborhood store. (2) Employees whisper too loudly about plans to unionize. (3) Last August, headquarters unceremoniously shuts the place down "for remodeling," fires three-quarters of staff.

Now, part four: Community fights back, with style, celebration, and nine booths of produce. The result of months of collaboration between residents, community organizations, and others, the market provides more than produce: It sends a message that residents won't tolerate what they perceive to be union busting or disrespectful consumer relations. Residents are demanding workers be rehired, permitted to unionize, and given back pay. "If they can't abide by our morals, we don't want them here," says law professor and local hero Peter Gabel.

Nutraceutical's Bruce Remund denies accusations of union busting: "That the store closed when unions were talked about was coincidental, not causal." He hopes to work with the neighborhood and may rehire some workers.

In a city where local activism often feels like neighborhood protectionism, the resistance to Nutraceutical has been welcome. "We're not just yuppies pissed off because we can't get our arugula," says an organizer. "This is taking place against a backdrop of rage against Bush, corporations, and what‘s happening nationwide." Especially here. Mitch Genlot, a former Real Food worker, put it simply: "They just picked the wrong neighborhood to mess with."