Deschutes Public Library begins “Know Rot” month

Published 10:30 am Wednesday, March 4, 2026

Programs on fermentation, artisanal cheese, vinegar, mushrooms and more ahead in March

For about eight months out of the year, Deschutes Public Library devises a monthly theme around which it builds educational and participatory programming.

“We ask the staff to help us come up with a theme, and we like to keep the theme big and broad,” said Events Supervisor Liz Goodrich. “It allows the events coordinating team to be really creative within those themes. It’s the bigger, the wider the playground, the sandbox, the better.”

Always prefaced with “know” past months’ themed programming have included Know Puzzles, Know Timer, Know Underwater, Know Justice. To Goodrich’s point about the broader the better, a theme such as Know Underwater could, and did, include everything from talks on algae research to avoiding going “underwater” with one’s finances.

Now, you can get to Know Rot, the theme for March. It makes for a pretty large sandbox.

Quite a lot of Know Rot includes programs on food and drink, starting with Not Your Mama’s Cheddar at 3 p.m. Saturday at La Pine Public Library. Alas, the program is full, as is Vinegar Vs. Wine March 11 in Redmond, of all the rotten luck, but there is plenty more ahead throughout the month.

Needle Felt Fungus at 3:30 p.m. March 12 at Sunriver Library will show how, with a bit of wool and a special needle, to create a beautiful 3D mushroom, a great way to try needle felting and learn a new hobby. While there are seats left as of this writing, the program is intended for teens ages 13-18. Registration required.