Deadly Delicious

Summary

Podcast Summary: Cabinet of Curiosities – "Deadly Delicious"

Host: Aaron Mahnke
Production: iHeartRadio & Grim & Mild
Release Date: August 21, 2025
Episode Length (content): ~12 minutes

Overview

In this episode, "Deadly Delicious," Aaron Mahnke takes listeners on a tour through two curious historical tales:

1. The occupation of Alcatraz Island by Native American activists in 1969–71, a pivotal protest that reshaped U.S. Indian policy.
2. How an early financial crisis at Springfield Creamery led to a legendary Grateful Dead benefit concert, ultimately saving the business behind the now-iconic Nancy’s Yogurt.

The episode explores themes of resistance, community, cultural change, and the unexpectedly sweet outcomes that can follow moments of desperation.

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Tale 1: The Curious Occupation of Alcatraz Island

Segment Starts: 01:10

Key Discussion Points

• Background & Context:

  • Alcatraz Island, famously a maximum-security prison, was sitting empty in 1969 ([01:10]).
  • Richard Oakes, an Akwesasne Mohawk and student activist, organized a coalition of Native Americans (the Indians of All Tribes) ([01:28]).

• The Protest:

  • The group invoked a 19th-century treaty promising that unused federal land be returned to Native people. Since Alcatraz was vacant, they claimed it.
  • The group "declared the island native land, saying that they were buying it from President Nixon for $24, the same price that early European settlers paid for the island of Manhattan" ([02:30]).

• Community Support & Self-Governance:

  • San Franciscans quickly supported the occupiers with food and supplies ([02:50]).
  • The community established roles for teaching, security, cooking, and more ([03:07]).
  • "Everyone did their part. They wanted the deed to the island and ... to establish a safe place for Native Americans" ([03:13]).

• Internal and External Challenges:

  • Tragedy struck when Richard Oakes’ 12-year-old child died in an accident on the island, leading to Oakes’ departure and leadership struggles ([03:30]).
  • Non-Indian hippies joined, bringing drugs and undermining discipline ([03:46]).
  • Federal authorities cut power and water, and a suspicious fire occurred ([04:02]).

• Federal Response and Aftermath:

  • Citing a nearby ship accident, federal authorities removed the final occupiers in June 1971 without incident ([04:34]).
  • Though the protest ended, it spurred change: "President Nixon gave a speech in full support of Native American sovereignty. And soon, many tribes’ names and lands were restored" ([05:10]).

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Motivation and Method:

  • "In a mission to force the US government to actually honor a treaty for once, 89 members of the Indians of All Tribes chartered a boat from San Francisco to Alcatraz" ([02:20]).

• On Lasting Impact:

  • "By showing that they were willing to fight for what was right, the Indians of all tribes had finally forced the US Government to honor its word" ([05:37]).

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Tale 2: A Sweet Rescue – Grateful Dead, Nancy’s Yogurt & the Power of Community

Segment Starts: 07:30

Key Discussion Points

• The Creamery Crisis:

  • "In August of 1972 ... Chuck and Su Kesey ... owners of Springfield Creamery in Springfield, Oregon ... were sidled with so much debt that the creamery was in threat of closing" ([07:41]).
  • Their solution: pivot from milk to probiotic-rich yogurt, inspired by bookkeeper Nancy’s recipe, giving rise to "Nancy’s Yogurt" ([08:27]).
  • Despite the success of the yogurt, mounting debt threatened the business with closure ([08:41]).

• Counterculture Connections:

  • Chuck’s brother, Ken Kesey (author of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and leader of the "Acid Tests"), was well-connected with the emerging Grateful Dead ([09:01]).
  • The Grateful Dead, originally named the Warlocks, became cult heroes among "Deadheads" through their association with Kesey ([09:23]).

• A Legendary Benefit Concert:

  • Chuck, via Ken, asked the Grateful Dead to play a benefit concert to save the creamery—and they accepted ([09:53]).
  • "They turned Nancy’s yogurt labels into concert tickets. And they charged $3 a head" ([10:09]).
  • Over 20,000 Deadheads attended the show, raising $15,000 (about $115,000 today) ([10:22]).

• Aftermath and Legacy:

  • The money saved Springfield Creamery; Nancy’s Yogurt became a national product, now a leader in dairy sales ([10:41]).
  • "If you ask them, the Kesey family will be the first to tell you that none of this would have been possible without the help from the Dead. And for that, they are forever grateful" ([11:49]).

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Community Support:
  • "They rented a field in Veneta, Oregon, outside of Springfield. And they turned Nancy’s yogurt labels into concert tickets" ([10:09]).
• On Legacy:
  • "Nancy’s Yogurt took off and began selling in stores nationwide. Today the company is a leader ... with annual sales exceeding $20 million" ([11:16]).

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Memorable Moments & Timestamps

• The purchase offer for Alcatraz:
  "[They were] buying it from President Nixon for $24, the same price that early European settlers paid for the island of Manhattan" (02:30).
• Turning yogurt labels into concert tickets:
  "They turned Nancy’s yogurt labels into concert tickets. And they charged $3 a head" (10:09).
• The impact of protest:
  "President Nixon gave a speech in full support of Native American sovereignty" (05:10).

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Tone and Language

Aaron Mahnke delivers each story with his signature mix of wonder and empathy. He highlights the strangeness and serendipity in history while keeping the narrative brisk and engaging, making complex historical movements accessible with warmth and curiosity.

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Final Thoughts

"Deadly Delicious" walks a line between the deadly serious and the unexpectedly uplifting. With stories of occupation, protest, and a dairy company’s salvation by rock legends, Mahnke reminds us that the arc of history is often both bizarre and deliciously unpredictable.

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Recommendation:
If you enjoy "Lore" or have a taste for lesser-known but impactful moments in history, this episode serves up two stories sure to satisfy your curiosity.

Transcript

[Podcast Announcer]

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Banking with Capital One helps you keep more money in your wallet with no fees or minimums on checking accounts and no overdraft fees. Just ask the Capital One Bank Guy. It's pretty much all he talks about in a good way. He'd also tell you that this podcast is his favorite podcast too. Oh really? Thanks Capital One Bank Guy. What's in your wallet? Terms apply. See capital1.com bank Capital One NA member FDIC.

[Erin Menke]

Welcome to Erin Menke's Cabinet of Curiosities, a production of iHeartRadio and Grim and mild.

[Aaron Mahnke]

Our world is full of the unexplainable, and if history is an open book, all of these amazing tales are right there on display, just waiting for us to explore. Welcome to the Cabinet of Curiosities.

[Erin Menke]

Alcatraz is a strange, one of a kind piece of American culture. A large island off the coast of San Francisco, it's infamous for its decades as a federal prison. The legend of Alcatraz has spawned dozens of books, films and TV shows, usually about prisoners escaping. But in 1969, a large group of activists did something rather curious there. They didn't want to escape Alcatraz. They weren't even prisoners. Instead, they wanted to force their way inside. Richard Oakes was a member of the Akwesasne Mohawk Tribe and also a student at San Francisco State University. He formed a student organization with members of other Native American tribes from other Southern California universities, calling themselves the Indians of All Tribes. Now, keep in mind that while Native American is the more accurate term for Indigenous Americans, many tribal members today still identify with the term Indian as they did during the events that I'm about to share with you, so you'll hear me use both terms depending on the context. The Indians of all Tribes were dismayed at a wide array of legislation that had been passed across the United States over the previous few decades. Known collectively as the Indian Termination Policy, it was an agenda aimed at ending the sovereignty of many Native American tribes. Simply put, instead of having their own land and government and being subject to only federal law, the Native Americans were being forced to disband their tribes and integrate into mainstream American society. Richard Oakes and his Indians of All Tribes came up with a plan to fight back. While at the universities, they studied the history and treaties between the Native Americans and the US government in Southern California, they found a 19th century treaty that claimed unused federal land was supposed to be returned to the Native Americans. And as it happened, Alcatraz had been sitting empty for a few years and the Government had yet to decide what to do with it. And so, in a mission to force the US government to actually honor a treaty for once, 89 members of the Indians of all tribes chartered a boat from San Francisco to Alcatraz. Once there, they declared the island native land, saying that they were buying it from President Nixon for $24, the same price that early European settlers paid for the island of Manhattan. The people of San Francisco were immediately supportive of their cause. They had seen in the news how many tribes were being forced to give up their lands. Soon shipments of food, water and other supplies were sent to the occupying Native Americans on Alcatraz. Richard led them in forming their own government, where everyone had to vote unanimously on each decision. They soon assigned themselves to different roles too. There were teachers, security guards, cooks, janitors and more. Everyone did their part. They wanted the deed to the island and they made their intentions clear that they wanted to establish a safe place for Native Americans. But the US Government was not willing to negotiate with them and they largely left the Indians of all tribes alone. The but as 1969 turned into 1970, problems started to mount for the Occupiers. Richard Ochs suffered a tragedy when his 12 year old child fell down a metal staircase on the island and passed away. Richard then left the island, causing infighting as to who would replace him as a leader. Non Indian hippies also arrived on the island around this time and started to openly use drugs, which undermined the mission of the Occupiers. And as the months rolled on, the US Government became less patient with the Occupiers and cut off power to the island. They also stopped shipments of water from the mainland. And it was almost too coincidental when a few days later a fire broke out on Alcatraz. The Occupiers were able to put it out, but only after several buildings were destroyed. They felt that they had been the victims of sabotage by the US government. In January of 1971, an unrelated ship collision in the bay gave the government another excuse to want to remove the Occupiers. It seems they didn't like not having access to the island during these kinds of emergencies. And so by June of that year, President Nixon reversed course on his previous policy and sent troops to retake Alcatraz. By that point There were only 15 occupiers left and they were removed without incident. The occupation ended on a down note, but its efforts were felt nationwide. President Nixon gave a speech in full support of Native American sovereignty. And soon many tribes names and lands were restored. It was a curious reversal, but by showing that they were willing to fight for what was right, the Indians of all tribes had finally forced the US Government to honor its word.

[Capital One Bank Guy]

Banking with Capital One helps you keep more money in your wallet with no fees or minimums on checking accounts and no overdraft fees. Just ask the Capital One bank guy. It's pretty much all he talks about in a good way. He'd also tell you that this podcast is his favorite podcast too. Oh really? Thanks Capital One Bank Guy. What's in your wallet? Terms apply. See capital1.com Bank Capital One NA Member FDIC.

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[Erin Menke]

If you are, like me, a fan of Ben and Jerry's ice cream, you might have heard of the flavor Cherry Garcia. It's named, of course, for Jerry Garcia, the lead singer and guitarist of legendary jam band the Grateful Dead. Cherry Garcia is the company's second most popular flavor and has been a bestseller since it debuted in 1987. But while it's a smash hit, it's not the first time that Jerry Garcia's name has been used to peddle dairy treats. More than 50 years ago, he lent his star power to a very different kind of product. It started in August of 1972 when Chuck and Su Kesey had a huge problem. They were the owners of Springfield creamery in Springfield, Oregon. They had been growing their business for 10 years, but had suffered some financial setbacks and now they were sidled with so much debt that the creamery was in threat of closing. Chuck couldn't let that happen. This was his family's only source of income, and they had two kids to support. Besides, he knew that the Springfield Creamery could be a success. Chuck actually grew up in the dairy business. His dad was the manager at Eugene dairy farm in Eugene, Oregon, and got him a job there all through high school. In college, he studied dairy science at Oregon State university, which is also where he met sue, his future wife. After college, Chuck and Sue moved back to Eugene to start their life together. And they soon learned of an incredible opportunity. There was a small defunct creamery in the next town over, and it was available for lease for just $150 a month. They jumped on the deal, and a few weeks later, they opened the Springfield Creamery. For the next decade, they made a living hand delivering milk to stores, schools, and residential homes. But over the years, their sales went up and also down. And Chuck knew that the dairy industry was changing, and if his business was going to survive, it would need to adapt. And that's when he got an idea. You see, back in college, he had studied live probiotics known to support gut health, improve digestion, and bolster immune systems. And he wanted to try and infuse these probiotics into a delicious, tangy yogurt and eventually transitioned Springfield Creamery from a milk supplier to a yogurt company. Chuck didn't know how to make yogurt, but the creamery's bookkeeper, Nancy, did. So Chuck and Nancy got to work, and by the spring of 1972, they had created a batch of probiotic yogurt and sold it at a local co op. And the customers loved it. And soon the co op called to order more of Nancy's yogurt. Chuck laughed and decided that he liked the name. And so the brand, Nancy's yogurt, was born. Unfortunately, it seemed like the new product was too little, too late. By this point, Springfield Creamery was just drowning in debt. They would likely be forced to close their doors before Nancy's yogurt had a chance to catch on. So they needed cash fast. And Chuck knew exactly who to. His brother, Ken Kesey. For the past 10 years, while Chuck and Sue were building their career, Ken had been in the Bay area publishing his best selling novel, One flew over the Cuckoo's Nest. And he'd also been hosting a series of parties called the acid tests. Several hundred hippies would show up at his house, listen to live music, and take psychedelic drugs. This was before LSD was illegal in California, and it was in this scene that a local band showed up to the first Acid Test party. They called themselves the Warlocks, and they hit it off with Ken right away. So much so that Ken invited them to headline the next Acid Test. A week later. The band agreed, although by the following Saturday, they had changed their name from the Warlocks, they became the Grateful Dead. And soon the Grateful Dead amassed a following of loyal fans called Deadheads. Whenever the band went on tour, thousands of Dead heads would follow. But even as they rose to fame, Ken Kesey and the band stayed close. Ken and Chuck would even go to concerts together and hang out with the Dead after the show. And now, all these years later, here was Chuck in a bind, and he wondered if the Dead would be willing to keep his business alive. So he called to Ken and explained his idea. And then he and Ken approached the band with a request. He asked if they would play a benefit show for Springfield Creamery. And to Chuck's surprise, the Grateful Dead agreed. And so Chuck and Sue got busy hand drawing posters to advertise the show. They rented a field in Veneta, Oregon, outside of Springfield. And they turned Nancy's yogurt labels into concert tickets. And they charged $3 a head. 27 days later, more than 20,000 deadheads swarmed the open lawn. It was over 100 degrees that day, but the Grateful Dead still played a three hour concert. They raised more than $15,000 for the Springfield Creamery, equivalent to about $115,000 today. It was more than enough for Chuck and Sue to pay off their debt and keep the creamery afloat. Soon, Nancy's yogurt took off and began selling in stores nationwide. Today the company is a leader in the dairy industry, with annual sales exceeding $20 million. If you ask them, the Kesey family will be the first to tell you that none of this would have been possible without the help from the Dead. And for that, they are forever grateful.

[Aaron Mahnke]

I hope you've enjoyed today's guided tour of the Cabinet of Curiosities. Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts or learn more about the show by visiting curiositiespodcast.com the show was created by me, Aaron Manke, in partnership with House Stuff Works. I make another award winning show called Lore, which is a podcast, book series and television show and you can learn all about it [e-mail] and until next time, stay curious.

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