| Thank you, John Clifford in Avon Lake, OH, for this week's cover image! |
In 1792, when Robert B. Thomas put out the first edition of The Old Farmer’s Almanac, George Washington was president of the United States. Kentucky became the country’s 15th state. Washington signed the Postal Service Act, which established the U.S. Postal Service.
That very first Almanac came out amidst the excitement of the young nation and sold 3,000 copies. In the very next year, circulation tripled to 9,000. Today, it might seem as though Thomas’s Almanac was destined to succeed; in reality, it was quite the gamble.
At the time, there were a lot of established almanacs—it was a crowded field and there was no guarantee that Thomas could capture an audience. But, through his passion and perseverance—not to mention the uncanny accuracy of his weather forecasting methods—Thomas’s fledgling Almanac would become the oldest continuously published periodical in North America.
Thomas remained the editor of The Farmer’s Almanac (it would only become “Old” in 1848) until his death at age 80, supposedly while reading proofs for the 1847 edition.
Today, The Old Farmer’s Almanac is still very much a project of passion, assembled every year by a small, dedicated editorial team in Dublin, New Hampshire, and supported by a host of authors, artists, printers, distributors, and merchandisers across the continent.
They are, as always, driven by the mission originally established by Thomas: “to be useful, with a pleasant degree of humor.” This is the Almanac’s promise to its readers yesterday, today, and through many tomorrows.
The history of The Old Farmer’s Almanac spans 229 years, 13 editors, snow in July, and a controversy during World War II. Of course, it all started with founder Thomas.
This past week, The 2021 Old Farmer’s Almanac was released and, along with it, its forecasts for this winter. Have you ever wondered how the Almanac makes its 80 percent–accurate weather forecasts?
This year’s edition also features tips on how not to get sick, picking a pet, the potentially catastrophic effects of rising sea levels, small-space gardening for everyone, trends for 2021, a chimney-cleaning adventure gone humorously wrong, and so much more. Here’s how to order your copy of The 2021 Old Farmer’s Almanac now.
As sure as the Sun will rise and set each day, The Old Farmer’s Almanac is here for you, now and always.
Your Friends from The Old Farmer’s Almanac |
