CICERO — The Library Farm, located across from the Cicero Branch of the Northern Onondaga Public Library (NOPL), was bursting with color and produce during the harvesting season. It’s an organic community garden on a mission to provide a place for our community to grow, share, and learn about food literacy and sustainable gardening.

This past year, under the management of Library Farm Manager and NOPL’s 2021 Rock Star Award winner Sue Buswell, the farm produced 411 pounds of vegetables for donation to local pantries. This is a new record for the farm, almost doubling the amount of produce donated last year. Crops continued to be picked well into late fall, even when temperatures dropped. The produce for donation came from NOPL’s Community Garden beds and from members of the Library Farm who “borrowed” a garden bed for a growing season and chose to donate their overstock.

NOPL’s Library Farm currently has 41 individual beds that are “checked out” by members of the community and nine garden beds for educational use that produce the majority of donations.

The most prolific crop of the 2021 season was surprisingly arugula, which gardeners harvested from early July until mid-October under the shade of nearby tomato plants. In addition, new plant varieties were sown this year, such as nasturtiums, mustard greens, tomatillos, nadapeños and buttercup squash to diversify community offerings.

Another successful crop was purple pole beans obtained with the Library Farm’s partnership with a Citizen Science Project, Seed Savers Exchange. Seed Savers Exchange is a nonprofit organization that preserves heirloom plant varieties through regeneration, distribution, and seed exchange. Through the Seed Savers Exchange, the Library Farm grew several types of spinach, lettuce, snap beans and buttercup squash to encourage seed stewardship, diverse crop production and conserve biodiversity in our area.

As the Library Farm grows and evolves, they’re always looking for new ways to connect with the community. If you are interested in borrowing a garden bed this summer, contact the Cicero Library to be placed on the 2022 waitlist; open beds will be assigned on March 15. If you’re looking to volunteer, partner or donate to the Library Farm, contact Sue Buswell at 315-699-2032. To learn more about the NOPL Library Farm, visit nopl.org/libraryfarm.

Upcoming events

THURSDAY, JAN. 13

Family Storytime

10 a.m. NOPL Cicero, 8686 Knowledge Lane. Join Miss Raena for Thursday morning storytime to enjoy stories, songs, and fun! Registration is required; call 315-699-2032 or visit nopl.org.

Write Your Legacy

11 a.m. to 1 p.m. NOPL Cicero, 8686 Knowledge Lane. Do you have a story to tell? Family skeletons to reveal? Silly excursions to share? What do you want your heirs to know? This weekly meeting of like-minded adult writers provides a wonderful opportunity to engage and share and to make sure your memories become a legacy. For more information, call 315-699-2032 or visit nopl.org.

NOPL English Language Conversation Group

4 to 5 p.m. Zoom. New English learners seeking practice in pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary are welcome to join in a virtual meeting. Topics will focus on shopping, talking to a healthcare provider, ordering food and more. Please register by calling 315-699-2032 or visiting nopl.org. An email with a link to the Zoom meeting will be sent out to registrants.

Friends of NOPL Cicero Meeting

6:30 to 7:45 p.m. NOPL Cicero, 8686 Knowledge Lane. For more information, call 315-699-2032 or visit nopl.org.

FRIDAY, JAN. 14

Friday Films

10 a.m. to 1 p.m. NOPL Brewerton, 5440 Bennett St. Masks and registration are required; call 315-676-7484 or visit nopl.org.

MONDAY, JAN. 17

DIY Book Nook for Teens, All Day

All-day event. NOPL Brewerton, 5440 Bennett St. Spice up your bookshelf with a DIY book nook. These book-shaped placeholders add a miniature touch of magic to any shelf. Teens can drop in at any point in the day to work on the craft, or they can take materials home with them to work on later. Free. Call 315-676-7484 or visit nopl.org.

Martin Luther King Jr. Storytime

2 to 3 p.m. NOPL North Syracuse, 100 Trolley Barn Lane. The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was an amazing individual. Let’s read about him and other important people who contributed to the Civil Rights movement. For more information, call 315-458-6184 or visit nopl.org.

TUESDAY, JAN. 18

Teen Craft: Washer Necklaces and Bracelets

4 to 5 p.m. NOPL Cicero, 8686 Knowledge Lane. Learn how to create your very own necklace or bracelet, or both! You will get to take home your finished jewelry at the end of the program to wear and enjoy. All materials will be provided. Advance registration is required; call 315-699-2032 or visit nopl.org.

Change Sings Storytime

6 to 7 p.m. NOPL North Syracuse, 100 Trolley Barn Lane. “There is always light/if only we’re brave enough to see it/if only we’re brave enough to be it.” Let’s read Amanda Gorman’s new picture book and discover how to be the light in our community. For more information, call 315-458-6184 or visit nopl.org.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 19

Adult Coloring

10 to 11:30 a.m. NOPL Brewerton, 5440 Bennett St. Supplies will be provided but we also encourage you to consider bringing your own. Masks and registration are required; call 315-676-7484 or visit nopl.org.

Storytime with Miss Sarah

10 to 11:30 a.m. NOPL North Syracuse, 100 Trolley Barn Lane. Join Miss Sarah for a free storytime filled with picture books and songs. Designed for young children and their caregivers. After 30 minutes of stories and songs there will be 30 minutes of playtime. For more information, call 315-458-6184 or visit nopl.org.

Snowman STEAM

3:30 to 4:30 p.m. NOPL Cicero, 8686 Knowledge Lane. Learn and play with different STEAM activities, including making “snow dough,” making frost, and building a catapult to knock over a paper snowman! Advance registration is required; call 315-699-2032 or visit nopl.org.

Mystery Classics Book Discussion

6 to 7 p.m. Virtual or in person, NOPL Cicero, 8686 Knowledge Lane. Join us to discuss classic mystery novels from authors like Ellery Queen, Erle Stanley Gardner, Agatha Christie, and others. Solve a murder case where all of the clues are provided, though no obvious connection presents itself. These puzzlers offer a wholesome, spellbinding period escape to the 1920s-1930s. Come prepared to share your favorites and learn about new-to-you whodunits. For more information, call 315-699-2032 or visit nopl.org.