Farmers' Almanac editor Sondra Duncan and publisher Peter Geiger pose with the 2012 edition in Auburn, Me.Robert F. Bukaty/The Associated Press
A 208-year-old publication that farmers, gardeners and others keen to predict the weather have relied on for guidance will be publishing for the final time.
Farmers’ Almanac said Thursday that its 2026 edition will be its last, citing the growing financial challenges of producing and distributing the book in today’s “chaotic media environment.” Access to the online version will cease next month.
The Maine-based publication, not to be confused with the even older Old Farmer’s Almanac in neighbouring New Hampshire, was first printed in 1818. For centuries it’s used a secret formula based on sunspots, planetary positions and lunar cycles to generate long-range weather forecasts.
The almanac also contains gardening tips, trivia, jokes and natural remedies, like catnip as a pain reliever or elderberry syrup as an immune booster. But its weather forecasts make the most headlines.
Shipping industry adjusts as drought drives St. Lawrence water levels near historic lows
“It is with a heavy heart that we share the end of what has not only been an annual tradition in millions of homes and hearths for hundreds of years, but also a way of life, an inspiration for many who realize the wisdom of generations past is the key to the generations of the future,” editor Sandi Duncan said in a statement.
In 2017, when Farmers’ Almanac reported a circulation of 2.1 million in North America, its editor said it was gaining new readers among people interested in where their food came from and who were growing fresh produce in home gardens.
Many of these readers lived in cities, prompting the publication to feature skyscrapers as well as an old farmhouse on its cover.