In a fun and intriguing conversation, Farm Director KC Sheperd discussed the content of the Farmer’s Almanac with editor Sandi Duncan.
Duncan described it as a calendar of curiosities, weather forecasts, gardening and fishing. To her, it is a calendar, a book, a magazine, entertaining, and factual. “We call it a publication that comes out yearly, but it is also a brand. Over the years, we have tried to give people information that helps them plan their days and grow their lives. It really is something that you could pick up every single day and learn something new,” she said.
The Farmer’s Almanac was started in 1818 when technology and publications were scarce, and farmers were plentiful. Farmers in that era depended on the Almanac for weather patterns and for projected sunrise and sunset times. As it, and farming, has evolved, it has gained a more diverse audience. While it still appeals to farmers, it is also sought by backyard gardeners.
“We have a Gardening by the Moon Calendar that people look forward to,” Duncan said. “We also have a Frost Calendar showing average frost dates, and obviously, our long-range weather forecast, where we try to give people an idea of what may come in the next four seasons ahead.”
Judging by the accuracy of short-term weather predictions, one may ask to create a long-range weather forecast that can be relied upon. To this, Duncan said, “The Farmer’s Almanac bases its long-range forecast on a formula that dates back to 1818. It is a mathematical and astronomical formula. Our founding editor came up with it and was able to come up with a set of rules and followed celestial things in the sky with meteorological events. It looks at things like sunspot activity, tidal action of the moon, and position of the planets. While we have altered the formula somewhat over the years, we still pretty much follow his formula. Obviously, we bow to Mother Nature. She is still unraveling her mysteries, and we don’t claim, by any means, 100 percent accuracy, but we do have about an eighty to eighty-five percent accuracy rate.”
The Farmer’s Almanac team also factors in things like El Nino and La Nina.
The Famer’s Almanac tries to include something for every member of the family. “Little things like, ‘When is the midpoint of winter?’ Often people think it is Groundhog Day, but it is actually February 4th. Or, “Which season is shorter?’ Many people might think winter is the longest, especially, people with harsh weather, but winter is actually the shortest of the seasons, and we tell people why in the Farmer’s Almanac.”
The 2025 Farmer’s Almanac should be available in bookstores, newsstands, grocery stores, Tractor Supply Stores, and online at farmersalmanac.com. It’s first date of weather predictions begin in September 2024 and continues through December 2025. It features all the things listed in this article as well as the Best Days Calendar, which is popular among farmers and parents of young children.
By watching moon cycles, predictions are made concerning the best days to complete various actions such as quitting a habit, potty training children, and weaning farm animals and toddlers. Users claim to get the best results possible by adhering to the Best Days Calendar.
The 2025 Almanac also features a new casserole recipe contest for recipes that include five ingredients or less. Winners may earn cash and get their recipe published in the next Farmer’s Almanac. It includes astronomy, fishing, helpful hints, some trivia, gardening information, and lore.
The Almanac also includes astrological events such as meteor showers, full moons, and appearances of planets. Duncan shared, “An interesting thing about next year is we may see a red moon in March 2025 because there will be a lunar eclipse.”
