Here’s your chance to eat BBQ, support a good cause AND meet an Iron Chef. What more could you ask for?
On Saturday, June 7, come out to the Garces Foundation Summer Barbecue at Luna Farm in Ottsville. The 40-acre farm is the private home of Chef Jose Garces and his wife, Dr. Beatriz Mirabal Garces. Five acres of the property is devoted to growing organic vegetables and fruits using sustainable farming methods. The farm, in its 3rd year of production, supplies Garces’ East Coast restaurants with eggs and honey, and produce, including pretty much everything you can grow around here: micro greens, lettuces and other greens; tomatoes; leeks and onions; exotic mushrooms; beets, carrots, turnips and radishes; eggplant; melons; sweet corn and all kinds of herbs.
The barbecue lunch will be provided by Garces Catering and a bunch of our favorite Bucks County folks—Oink Johnson’s Southern BBQ, MOO Restaurant and oWowcow Creamery (both in Ottsville), as well as Fat Jack’s BBQ, Rosati Ice, Robeks and more. Beer, margaritas, wine and lemonade will also be on hand.
But it’s not just about eating (it’s not?). Every 30 minutes there will be farm tours to see the organic produce, the greenhouse, mushroom logs and more, all grown to Chef Garces’ specifications for use in his restaurants.
There will also be a cooking demo and tasting using Luna Farm kale by Jillian Herschlag, the Luna Farm manager, and you’ll be able to make and take herb seed plantings.
Need to work off the barbecue and ice cream? You’ll be able to take a guided 20 minute hike around the 40-acre property.
Chef Garces will also be on hand to sign copies of his newest book, The Latin Road Home.
Tickets are $60/person; $30/kids 12 and under. To purchase, go to www.garcesfoundation.org.
To get to the event, which goes from 2 pm to 5 pm, you’ll need to either:
- Park at Wehrung’s Lumber and Home Center at 7711 Easton Road in Ottsville, or
- Meet at Garces Dental, 212 Race Street, in Old City, Philadelphia.
A shuttle will transport guests to and from Luna Farm.
The barbecue event will benefit the Garces Foundation. Founded in 2012, the foundation is a nonprofit organization that raises funds to provide Philadelphia’s vibrant and growing immigrant community with access to the care and education they need.
The foundation currently runs three programs that improve the health, language, cultural skills, and nutrition of Philadelphia immigrants: Community Health Day hosted at Garces Dental Group where uninsured patients receive free dental care, physicals, and medical screenings; an applied learning English as a second language class for restaurant workers, English for the Restaurant and Everyday Living, which aims to narrow the language and cultural gap in the workplace and beyond; and Luna Farm Field Trips to the Garces family farm, where children can grow and harvest fruits and vegetables, practice fun ways to exercise, learn the importance of a healthy diet, and cook fresh, nutritious meals.
In addition to its own programs, the Foundation has awarded grants to Puentes de Salud and The Philadelphia School.
