Friday, October 2, 2026
84 ° Mostly Clear
84 ° Mostly Clear
Fall is on the menu at Playwicki Farm, with local produce leading the way.
For the third time this year, Playwicki Farm in Lower Southampton Township will host a seasonal farm-to-table cooking demonstration and tasting on Oct. 21 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. This casual, hands-on cooking class, “Farm to Cozy Meals: Turning fall produce into nourishing comfort foods,” is taught by The Rooted Kitchen on behalf of the Playwicki Farm Foundation.
The cooking demonstration features local produce from nearby farms. Participants are given suggestions and practical tips for making home-cooked dishes and meals using fresh, seasonal ingredients. A portion of the proceeds supports the nonprofit foundation’s work to sustain and preserve the 110-acre farm’s trails, grounds, historic buildings and educational programs.
“This is a way to showcase the local produce that's available in Bucks County,” said registered dietitian Joni Garcia, the event’s cooking instructor and owner of The Rooted Kitchen. Garcia formerly worked in public health, developing nutrition programs for various communities and populations.
“We're so fortunate that there are so many farms in the county and we have such a great growing season,” Garcia said. “For Playwicki Farm, in particular, there is a farm on the property called Love Grows Farm. They have a farm stand there where they sell on Sundays everything that they’re growing. So, it’s a great way to highlight what they’re offering too. I think it’s a win-win,” she added.
Garcia suggested offering the farm-to-table classes to the Playwicki Farm Foundation through connections she made working with the Yardley Farmers Market.
“The farmers from Love Grows Farm told me about Playwicki’s event space and kitchen. It kind of evolved from there.”
Representatives from the foundation agreed to offer three seasonal cooking classes in 2026, highlighting vegetables, fruits and produce from local farms, including Love Grows Farm. According to Garcia, the overall concept is to cook with fresh ingredients while giving easy-to-use instructions to participants, ultimately making meal preparation less stressful and more nutritious without complicated recipes. Garcia said the event not only supports Bucks County farms but also the foundation.
“As a registered dietitian, it's a great way to show people how to use local food, which is oftentimes much more nutritious than food that comes from far away. It’s more nutrient-dense, and it shows that healthy eating can be simple and can taste really good too.”
The farm-to-table classes meet in a kitchen with a large island in a historic building on the property called “The House,” which is near the parking lot, Garcia said.
“We have seats around the island for everyone to sit and watch the class. I'm usually at the end of the island cooking. It's not a full meal, but it is a food tasting, and everybody gets to try everything that we make. We give everyone the recipes too. It ends up being a really nice night out for friends or even for somebody who wants to come by themselves. They can meet new people.”
The October class is the third in the inaugural series. The first was held in May and featured a menu of spring vegetable frittata, sautéed snap peas with green garlic, and cucumber, radish and herb salad with lemon-honey dressing.
The second class, held in July, offered a summer menu of corn and zucchini fritters, peach, tomato and mozzarella caprese salad, and Mediterranean quinoa salad with lemon-oregano dressing.
“I usually do a no-cook item, which might be some sort of salad. So, for example, in July we did tomatoes and peaches with a caprese salad. The other items are also really simple recipes that you can make. I did a vegetable quinoa salad using different local vegetables and a light Greek-style dressing for the last one,” she said.
The October menu is still in the works. Garcia consults with local farmers to see what’s available and builds the menu based on their suggestions.
“We will probably have some different squashes, cruciferous vegetables, maybe broccoli, cauliflower, and then some hearty greens. We'll usually get some apples or sweet potatoes.”
Garcia said the classes encourage people to look at buying local produce in a different way.
“Some people have said to me that these recipes wouldn’t necessarily be something they’d think to do at home, but they are really super simple. Others never heard of Playwicki Farm before or haven’t necessarily been to a farmers market. They told me it has inspired them to check out and shop at local farms. Others said it’s a great way to get some variety into their diets, and it supports the local economy too. So again, it’s a win-win.”
Playwicki Farm is located at 2350 Bridgetown Pike in Feasterville-Trevose. Space for the Oct. 21 class is limited to 12 attendees. The registration fee is $35 per person for ages 12 and older.
To register online, visit Playwicki Farm on Facebook or email playwicki.farm.foundation@gmail.com.
To learn more about Love Grows Farm, visit lovegrowscsa.com. To learn about The Rooted Kitchen, visit therootedkitchenco.com.
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Playwicki Farm will host its seasonal farm-to-table cooking demonstration and tasting on Oct. 21 from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Registration is $35 per person for ages 12 and older.
The fall menu has not been finalized, but it will likely feature seasonal local produce such as squash, broccoli, cauliflower, hearty greens, apples and sweet potatoes.
Space is limited to 12 attendees. To register, visit Playwicki Farm on Facebook or email playwicki.farm.foundation@gmail.com.
