The next in the “Farm 2 Table” series of free cooking classes will be held from 5:30-6:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 4 in the WIC kitchen at Jordan Valley Community Health Center, 440 E. Tampa St. Just in time for the fall season, the topic for the upcoming class is “Everything Pumpkin.”

The classes focus on healthy recipes made from fresh, local ingredients. The series is a partnership between the Springfield-Greene County Health Department, which provides the cooking instruction, and the Springfield Urban Agriculture Coalition, which donates the fresh food.

“While there are a number of healthy cooking classes happening in the community right now, we really wanted this series to focus on recipes that are affordable and easy for the average person to cook,” said Katie Towns-Jeter, Administrator of Chronic Disease Prevention at the health department. “Offering the classes free of charge also helps fulfill our goal of making this affordable.”

The series of one-hour classes is held on the first Thursday of each month, with alternating morning and evening times, at the WIC kitchen facility. No registration is required and children are welcome. The upcoming topic schedule is as follows.

• Everything Pumpkin – 5:30 p.m., Oct. 4
• Cold Season Crops – 10 a.m., Nov. 1
• Bread-Making 101 – 5:30 p.m., Dec. 6
• Bread-Making 101 – 10 a.m., Jan. 3
• Cheese, Please – 5:30 p.m., Feb. 7

The Springfield Urban Agriculture Coalition promotes healthy lifestyles and environments through hands-on education about production and consumption of locally-produced, natural, healthy foods. The Springfield-Greene County Health Department is increasingly focused on wellness and prevention efforts as obesity and associated chronic diseases continue to rise.