The Festhalle Farmers Market smelled a little sweeter Tuesday morning thanks to a plant sale to benefit the Friends of the Libraries of Cullman County and the Cullman County Department of Human Resources.

The plants that were available during Tuesday’s sale included easy-to-maintain succulents as well as geraniums that offered scents like lemon, roses or mint chocolate, and all of the plants were grown by Calera McHenry, who said she loves the county’s library system and knows how important it is to the community. 

“I’m just a big supporter of the library,” she said. 

She said the succulents on sale also serve an educational purpose, as she hopes that selling them will encourage both children and adults to take advantage of the library’s books and resources to learn more about them. 

“They’re for all ages,” she said. “Children love them as much as adults and it doesn’t take much to care for them.”

Proceeds from the sale also benefited Cullman County DHR through Cullman First Baptist Church’s food pantry, which works with DHR to provide food for children in need, McHenry said. 

“This is just my benefit for those organizations,” she said.

Friends of the Libraries of Cullman County board member Renee Welsh said the funds raised by the plant sale — along with a grant from Dollar General — will help pay for its summer sessions. 

She said the library has four sessions planned for the summer with the theme of “Take and Make,” and the first one will take place next week. When children visit the library next week, they can get a bag with vegetable seeds, soil and a plant tracking kit that will let them chart their plant’s growth.

Summer sessions will continue throughout the summer, likely two weeks apart, so there will be more to come to help children keep learning while they’re out of school, Welsh said.